And you know heroes aren't meant to survive
by Hybrid Wayward Dragon
Summary: After the events of the Giant War Percy left Camp. Still to be approached by demigods on quests, how will he react when he finds an Avenger in his apartment? Why does SHEILD need him and will the Avengers help Percy move on from the deaths of his friends? Everyone has their own demons. It's probably time they started learning how deal with them. *not a tragedy I swear
1. Chapter 1

**Hey so I'm finally writing a crossover fic like I've always wanted to. So Percy is 19 in this fic and although I do like percabeth I'm not sure I can write it and I can't do something like that to percabeth fans. So yeah. Sorry. I hope you like this. By the way the title is just a quote from a picture I found on Pinterest this is not a tragedy!**

**"I will not give up until I see the sun" Red 'Hold me now'**

Percy sat by their graves in the pouring rain, two thoughts prevalent in his mind. Grief for all those whom he had lost, and how his friends would have hated how cliched this was.

He visited everyday, spending at least five minutes at every grave, talking about everything and nothing at all, the good memories he had of them and the bittersweet ones before the battle. The first few weeks after their funerals, he would sit there for hours, talking about everything and nothing, thinking, or just sitting there in daze staring at the headstones in front of him. He would spend longer at Annabeth's, sometimes recounting their quests together, sometimes talking of the life he had planned for them, choking up every other sentence.

The gods currently had no real use for him. He had ensured the safety of the camps, killing every last monster in Gaea's army himself. Both camps were at least allies, on the verge of bettering relations further. Demigods were still grieving their losses from the Giant war**,** there were far too many deaths, but they were healing. There was no threat looming on the horizon, no vengeful god, no stolen items.

Camp Half-Blood may have been home to him, but it wasn't a place he could stay right now. Not when he could see Annabeth everywhere he looked, beating up some dummies mercilessly with the dagger Luke gave her, planning some battle strategy, climbing the lava wall or in her cabin working on Dedalus' laptop. So he had left camp. He promised to come back one day but right now? The wound was too fresh, too raw. Not when grief and flashbacks threatened to overwhelm him at any given opportunity. So he left, not really looking back.

He was, however, to be approached by any demigod who needed help, just because he left camp didn't mean he didn't help those who needed it. His apartment was set up with a homing signal like the camps so Greek and Roman demigods alike could find it if they needed help on a quest or were in trouble. He was actually used to finding demigods inside or outside his apartment by now.

It was still a surprise, however, when he walked into his apartment to find an Avenger sitting inside bleeding out onto his couch.

"Hi" came the voice of one Clint Barton. "I need your help."

_~line break~_

Percy stopped dead in the doorway as he examined the sight before him. There were little splatters of blood on the floor and carpet, most of it confined to the couch, but it wasn't something he wasn't used to, bleeding demigods came in all the time. It just wasn't everyday _Clint Barton_, an _Avenger_ came in asking for help. So being the Seaweed Brain that he was, he stared.

"Well," Clint amended as he saw Percy staring, "technically SHIELD needs your services, but as you can probably see, I definitely wouldn't mind your help."

"Yes, I don't suppose having a bullet in your shoulder is very comfortable" Percy quipped, a stunned look on his face as he retrieved his specially modified first aid kit, equipped with everything from nectar and ambrosia to duct tape, bandages and a panda pillow pet (don't ask). Luckily for Clint it also had the items necessary for the extraction and stitching up of bullets and bullet wounds like the one Clint was sporting on his left shoulder.

"So why _exactly_ am I stitching up an Avenger in my kitchen? Should you not have places to go to for that?"

"We do, but where else would I get to meet _the_ Percy Jackson, Saviour of Olympus? Besides, I told you, we need your help. I'm sure Fury would have sent someone more qualified like Coulson, but I was closest, even if I was being chased by a hydra after escaping Hydra the organisation."

Percy just looked confused.

**So that's a wrap! This is placed after the events of Winter Soldier and Thor the dark world but I'm not sure if I'll incorporate Thor. (I haven't)**

**By the way I don't know if I'll put in age of ultron, we'll just have to see after the movie comes out. (I did)**

** But Percy is 19 in case you skipped the above AN and Clint is a demigod which is how he knows of Percy, but this is the first time they are officially meeting. I really hope you like this so please give me some reviews so I know. **

**By the way, I'm sorry but updates will be even more erratic than my others avengers fic because I have exams in a month and literally updating on whatever I can find so to those of you who are reading my other fic that will also be updated really randomly I'm sorry. I will probably be updating more after the 12th of May.**


	2. Chapter 2

**O.M.G**.** I can't _believe_ the response I got for just one chapter. I mean, 32 follows? AWESOME! Hope you like this chapter!**

"So let me get this straight," Percy began. "You're a demigod son of Apollo who works for SHIELD. You were recently captured by Hydra and you escaped only to find SHIELD in shambles, your Director missing and someone you thought dead until relatively recently having taken over command, who ordered you to recruit me?"

"Yeah that's just about it, except our director is more _pretending_ to be dead than actually missing. Also he wants to meet you so he'll be at the debriefing."

"Ok... But I'm still not sure what you want from me. I mean, yeah I'm a demigod but I'm only 19! I can't even go to a bar and legally buy a beer! Why would a super secret organisation be interested in me?"

"Kid, first of all, _yes_ you're a _demigod. _We're practically adults by the time we hit 15. Second, SHIELD recruited me at 20 not even knowing about my demigodness, I doubt that it's too much trouble for them to recruit you. Third, you're a living legend that actually lives up to legend, why the _Hades_ wouldn't they want you?" Clint exclaimed. Of course the the one thing that wasn't exaggerated by the rumor mill was Jackson not knowing his own worth. Go figure. "Besides, SHIELD has wanted you ever since we saw you that day in Manhatten fighting the Chitauri. With a SWORD. Dude how have you not been caught yet? I'm sure at least a dozen cameras caught you in action and at least 5 survived the attack. And please don't say the mist because that's been screwed ever since Thor showed up."

"I honestly have no idea. Dumb luck? I'd say the fates must like me but I somehow doubt that all things considered." Percy said, his voice fading by the end as he appeared to be lost in thought.

"Well," Clint said, interrupting his train of thought. "I'm all patched up and you don't appear to be busy, let's roll. We need to get to get to base and debrief you and I wanna get my bow back. Coulson confiscated it after my latest round of terrifying newbies. Jerk. I had to use my backup bow for a week!"

Percy wasn't sure if he should laugh or pinch himself to check if this was real and not a dream. He settled for pinching himself, waiting to wake up in bed. Nope. It was all real. He really was in his kitchen putting away his first aid kit listening to Clint Barton ramble on about his bow which he had named Valkyrie. As if his life couldn't get any weirder. He could already hear Apollo and Hermes laughing their asses off. Great.

_~line break~_

Percy parked his bike in front of a tall building which Barton claimed was the NY base, and waited for the man in question to show up. He had said he'd catch his own ride and texted him the coordinates. Thank Zeus monsters were so terrified of him that, with the exception of a few, they didn't come within a five mile radius of him so it was perfectly safe for him to use a cellphone.

Clint showed up five minutes later in a Chevy Impala. Not just _any_ Chevy Impala, mind you, but the only one that would have girls within a ten mile radius swooning. It was a '67 midnight black muscle car, purred like a kitten, albeit a loud one, and was blasting Back in Black. Yep. He literally had an exact copy of Dean Winchester's car down to the license plate. Of course he did.

As Clint exited the car Percy imitated Joker's slow clap from the Dark Knight showing him exactly what he thought of his ride. "Well you certainly take 'go big or go home' to another level."

"Shut up it's an awesome car and anyway, I'm borrowing it."

"From who Stark? He's the only one I can think of who would get an exact model right down to the plates."

"As a matter of fact, yes, I did. Now move it, we're late and you do _not_ wanna see Fury pissed."

_~line break~_

After being led through a maze of corridors they finally reached what appeared to be the debriefing room. Bracing himself before entering, because super secret spy organisations interested in you? Never a good idea.

It was actually quite... disappointing to be honest. Just a boring table with some equally boring chairs. You couldn't exactly say the same about the man inside though.

Director Fury stood before him, dressed in a long black coat, holding a file and wearing an honest to Zeus eyepatch. He didn't look to happy though and was glaring at him through his one good eye as he spoke.

"Perseus Jackson. Father: registered as unknown, to those aware, the Greek god Posiedon. Mother: Sally Jackson, now Blofis. Expelled from 8 schools for various misdemeanours such as blowing up the school bus, got your GED from Goode High School, 'kidnapped' at age 12 and witnessed handling a gun and a sword expertly. Went missing at age 16 for eight months, before being sighted in Sanfrancisco, Alaska, Rome and Greece. Occasionally going completely off radar before being sighted in Manhatten fighting the Chitauri with a sword. Am I forgetting anything?"

Clint whisted long and low. "Kid, with a track record like that I'm almost surprised you weren't brought in on charges of terrorism."

"I'm actually a little surprised myself. Did you guys really compile that much on me?"

"Believe me kid, this is nothing. You probably have the thinnest file of all of SHIELD's watch list."

"Once you're done Barton, I wouldn't mind talking to Mr Jackson. Also I believe Agent Coulson still has your bow." Fury interrupted dryly.

"Why do I feel like you're still angry about the eyepatch thing? You are, aren't you? Well anyway kid, that's my cue. Good luck. Try to survive this 'cause having you around is _definitely _gonna be interesting."

**So that's a wrap people! I really hope you like this! So I'm sorry if there were too many dialogues but quite a bit of info was given. Clint was recruited at age 20 and he left camp at 18 so the two years in between leave way for some of Marvels original storyline to take place. But I personally prefer him as a Roman first, so he's been to both camps and before and after Marvels original storyline took place. Btw this means he knew Luke since he would have been at camp half blood during the Lightning thief. Also I gave my own reason as to why he wasn't in cap 2 so yeah. And btw the Giant War will have taken a year and there will be a crap ton of cannon divergence because Blood of Olympus was a terrible excuse for a book. Take it from someone who's life has been books.**** I hope you find why Percy can use phones an acceptable reason. Please note I am making this up as I go except for some basic things so input ideas and reviews are always welcome, even in the later chapters. Thanks**

**By the way please don't expect too many updates because like I already said I have exams so yeah. **

**Also, the eyepatch thing is a reference to my other fic where Tony and Clint dye Fury's eyepatch pink**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ok so I may just be about to die. SIXTYFOUR FOLLOWS FOR _TWO_ CHAPTERS?! You guys are freaking AWESOME! And already asking for more updates? Wow. So I need you guys to know that I'm making this up as I go. I have a general idea of where I want this story to go but I don't write ahead and to be honest I start out at point A and my hand takes me to point H. I really hope you like where this leads cos I got what I think is an awesome idea but I have no idea what you guys will think. Oh well read enjoy and review. **

Clint got into the nearest vent and started making his way to Coulson's office, thoughts still on Percy. He liked going through the vents. They were faster and he wouldn't have to deal with annoying agents. Also, they made it easier to pull pranks and terrify newbies.

He actually wasn't sure who he was more worried for, Percy who was receiving all of Fury's attention at once, or Fury himself. Clint may not have been we'll connected to the mythological world that much over these past few years, but anyone who held any sort of affiliation with that world knew of Percy Jackson. The demigod that made it his personal goal to piss off practically every being more powerful than himself. Or he would befriend said powerful being and have them indebted to him or willing to help his cause whatever it may be. The kid made powerful enemies and equally, if not more powerful allies.

According to Apollo who visited him a year back, the kid pissed off Zeus and got Hades and Hestia placed on the Council in the same meeting. As part of his post Giant war requests he had the ancient law of godly parents not being able to meet with and help their children abolished. If the kid could do so much that the gods - even Artemis! - respected him... Well, there was a reason he was the best demigod in history and why SHIELD wanted him.

_~line break~_

As Clint exited the room, the door shut with a finality Percy _really_ didn't like. Fury was looking at him as if searching for something in his face. He apparently found it because he nodded before speaking. Percy assumed it was a spy thing.

"SHIELD is compromised. As the events of last summer with the Captain proved, we cannot trust our own agents. As Agent Romanov informed the world, we had been infiltrated by Hydra, an organisation thought finished during World War Two. An organisation that is resurfacing with some _very_ powerful assets."

Percy didn't like the way Fury said 'assets'. He knew enough about war to know that 'assets' generally meant people. Some of whom were tortured to do terrible acts in the name of the 'greater good'.

"But I don't understand what you want me for. You still have the Avengers, still have some agents you can trust... Where's my role in this?"

"Right now taking down Hydra isn't my top priority. I have people rooting out rogue agents and there is evidence of an ex-Hydra agent waging a one-man war against them. No. I need allies to help me fight a war. Allies such as you Mr. Jackson. We also need you to track down a rogue agent. One of Hydra's best in fact. From what we know of him, he was the perfect asset. Followed orders to a fault and never failed a mission save one and he never misses. A perfect record really. Which makes for an interesting question when evidence is found of him saving your life numerous times over the past seventeen years. After all, the Winter Soldier is known for taking life, not saving it. Especially not the life of a future target.

_~line break~_

**(I'm not gonna lie I did think of ending it there. I almost did but this is a thank you present for all the follows I've gotten) **

Fury was getting a little annoyed. After telling Jackson that little piece of information which he still wanted answers for, he had taken to impersonating a goldfish. Discreetly checking his watch, he figured this had gone on long enough. Luckily for Percy, he snapped out of it before Fury was forced to take any drastic measures, such as calling in Coulson.

"First of all, why the Hades would _I_ be on a list of future targets and second, what on earth would someone like the Winter Soldier want with me?"

Fury turned a page of the file he had been holding but had left on the table while talking to Percy it had some grainy pictures and some handwritten notes on the next page which Fury proceeded to read out.

"_Mission completed. Asset may be compromised. Deliberately left position to move a two year old child out of traffic_. This is dated to about 17 years ago.

_"Soldier went off radar for approx twelve minutes. Agents on field give a window of thirteen minutes, from 1347 hours to 1400 hours. Had been waiting for target outside kindergarten before incident. Asset claimed necessity of scouting the area. False alarm? _This was about 14 years ago. The next day the school changed its security because a child had almost been kidnapped. The kidnapping was stopped by a man with an 'unusual' prosthetic. About nine years ago he was sighted entering an alley to stop a gang beating up a child.

"Hydra also knew about the Greek world and it is confirmed that the Soldier can see through the mist, even before when it was fully functional. Not only would he normally kill any monster he encountered, but whenever he has had a mission around _your _vicinity, Mr. Jackson, he has gone out of his way to destroy them.

"This child, Mr. Jackson, has always been _you_. The Soldier has been wiped at least 4 times over these past 17 years, yet his behaviour has changed from a perfect asset to a guardian angel of sort around _you_. The only other known instance of his going against orders was when it concerned Rogers. So tell me, Mr Jackson, what is so special about you that would push the Soldier to change?"

Percy who had been stunned into silence, his mind working at a speed even a child of Athena would be surprised at, picking through everything Fury had said, spoke haltingly, still trying to process everything. "I... Don't know. I've never had any affiliation with SHIELD and by default, Hydra before today... But I do know who you're talking about. I first actually met him when I was... 10? Yeah, 10. But I remember seeing him way before that. He was always in the shadows... Just... watching. He spoke to me a little after he pulled those boys off me. It was a mixture of... Russian and English. I know it was Russian because one of my friends was a transfer and taught me some. He asked me if I was alright, critiqued my non existent fighting skills, showed me how to throw a proper punch and left.

"I saw him after that, always watching. He didn't approach me much, not after that first time... Just watched from afar. A couple of times he would come to me after I got my ass kicked and showed me how to hold them off until someone helped me or I could get away. The last time was when I was twelve, sometime before I found out about my heritage. I had just gotten my ass kicked again. He hadn't interfered. He never did, not after that first time. But he came to me and helped me up. He just said I still couldn't fight to save my life but since I may have to one day he might as well teach me the basics. He showed me a couple things and said they would do for now. But then he said he wouldn't be around forever so I would need to know some things 'in case' - he didn't specify, but he was serious. That's when he showed me how to use a gun. He left right after but not before saying that monsters don't just hide under beds. I never saw him again and I never told anyone about him or showed anyone what he taught me. When I asked him for a name he just told me to call him Winter."

"So the Soldier knew of Hydra's plans for you?" Fury asked.

Percy just shrugged, he honestly had no idea what or who the Soldier thought he needed protection from, but if Fury was right, it did hint towards Hydra. And here he had been hoping for some peace. Damn.

**So that's a wrap people! I really hope you like it and please do tell me your thoughts in the reviews. Also the next update will come after the 12th of May. Sorry my only excuse is exams. Also I'm sorry about oocness. And there is no way that I'm going to give this up. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Omfg I love you guys! I never thought I would get such an awesome response! Hey so I know I said I would update on the 12th but I had time and already had a chapter written so I figured why not. **

Percy was now definitely aware of why Fury was the best. He was pretty sure he had just been coerced and guilt tripped into yet _another_ war. He couldn't help but think over Fury's last words before he left.

He had pretty much been ordered to go stay with the Avengers because it was far easier for them all to be in one place now that Percy was helping SHIELD and his apartment had been deemed 'unsecure'. Of course it was.

Fury then proceeded to use his super spy tactics on Percy.

"There's a storm coming Mr Jackson. One that will affect everyone, human, mutant, demigod or otherwise. I need someone who will turn the tide and right now? That someone is you. I've heard the stories about you, I know how many times you've saved the world. My question to you is - will you save it one more time?"

Before Percy could answer Fury turned and stalked out of the room.

_~line break~_

Whatever Percy was expecting, it definitely was _not_ what greeted him at the tower. Stark and Banner were cooking if the smell was anything to go by, while Tony was simultaneously making notes on some project he had on the table, with Bruce calmly stopping him from adding something that looked like shattered glass instead instead of salt to whatever they were cooking. Steve and Thor were in the middle of what looked like a thumb war, Natasha was watching some kind of opera ballet thing while Loki was quietly reading in the corner.

Clint called to Jarvis to "tell Wilson to get his scrawny ass up here" before proceeding to pull out an air horn from behind the couch. Percy did not like where this was going. "Serves them right for not paying attention." He said to Percy by way of explanation.

Then Clint pressed the button on top.

Note to self: air horns are either very _good_ ideas or very _bad_ ideas when dealing with the Avengers. Either way, the silence was creepy.

Tony was the first to break the silence. "Clint first of all, I'm taking away your air horn privileges. Second, why is there a random kid in my tower?"

Percy was sure Clint would have introduced him in a semi-normal way had it not been for one god of chaos.

"This child, as you call him Stark, is hailed as the Saviour of Midgard on each of the nine realms. There are legends of his valor and prowess in battle. He is said to be a literal hurricane on the battlefield and as unpredictable as the sea he was born from." Loki drawled.

And there we go. That was exactly what he was trying to avoid.

"Thanks Loki. I really needed to be introduced as the 'saviour of Midgard'. Very helpful." The god of mischief just grinned before going back to his book.

Steve figured someone should start the introductions so before the silence got too awkward so he stepped forward, hand outstretched, "Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America. Pleasure to meet you."

"Percy Jackson. Son of Posiedon. You too."

"Ok so lunch is almost ready, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself and why you're here. Wait, Tony what even are you and Bruce cooking?"

Tony looked down at the pot he was stirring, a confused expression on his face. "I don't know. Brucey what are we cooking?"

Bruce face palmed. "Tony this is _your_ recipe I just did what you told me to."

"Well then, I'm sure it will awesome. Ummm Steve its a surprise?"

"What Tony means is he has no idea what he is cooking. Get used to it Percy." Loki spoke up from his corner, still immersed in his book.

Clint spoke up for the first time since he blew the air horn, "welcome to the Avengers Tower kid."

_~line break~_

_It had been a quiet night in Roarhaven, a small town near Dublin of which few knew the existence of. The explosions and fire soon changed that. No one really saw the dark figure who left such chaos in his wake as he left the site. That wasn't really surprising. After all, there was none better than the Winter Soldier at blending with the shadows. _

_He had a new mission, one he would complete at any cost. His last mission had awoken something in him. He wasn't sure what it was, but he knew he would follow Steve Rogers to the end of the world if he had to. It was for him and a skinny little kid in Manhatten he was doing this for. The reason Hydra kept wiping him was because the longer he spent out of cryo the more chances there were of his memory returning. He knew of Hydra's future targets, he was more than aware of Zola's algorithm*. He had helped develop it. So yes, he knew of one Percy Jackson being on Hydra's list. _

_The Winter Soldier and Bucky Barnes were in agreement on one thing. To protect the only two people in this world they cared for, Hydra would have to fall and he would be the one to bring it down. _

**Hey so I hope you guys enjoyed it and please leave a review it would be awesome. Also I wrote a story some time back for Captain America and I got nothing on that. It's barely more than a Drabble and focuses entirely on Bucky. Um I would really like it if some of you would check it out and leave a review even if it's criticism cos even that helps improve my writing. Thanks. Btw I'm already working on the next chapter so that's the one you guys will get by the 12th hopefully. Ps Zola's algorithm is mentioned in Cap 2 basically for those who don't remember it, it evaluated people's past to see their future and Bucky was known to be interested in science so I figured why not?**


	5. Chapter 5

**It's the 12th! I'm finally free from the hell they call exams! And a chapter like I promised so yay!**

**Ok it's official. I love you guys. I cannot believe the response I've gotten for this fic, it is _awesome_! So I realised that I forgot to mention what Loki was doing with the Avengers. Um I love Loki and I'm really bored with reading fics where Loki is evil or dead or not on their side so instead of Odin throwing him in prison, Loki is serving his penance or whatever with the Avengers, I mean it is a general head cannon that he was controlled by the Chitauri too in a way so I'm going with that. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please know that if anything I write doesn't make sense please tell me because I'm writing this for you guys. What's the point if you don't get it or like it? **

**Also shoutout to gummygoldenbears for reviewing on my fic 'the only one he would ever fight for'. It really means a lot to me. **

Percy wasn't sure what was in the plate in front of him but it looked, smelled and tasted awesome so he wasn't complaining. There were all kinds of meat and a ton of rabbit food. For those who don't know what rabbit food is, it's generally stuff like lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, you know, rabbit food. Think less cheeseburger with fries and more... Sam Winchester or teenage girl on a diet before prom.

"So," Steve began, "tell us a bit about yourself, Percy."

"Actually Cap, how about he tell you why he's here in the first place. After all, it concerns you more than anyone else." Clint interrupted looking at Percy.

Steve looked a bit confused before nodding at Percy to do so.

"Well I guess it really began when I was ten, but he entered my life way before that. That day he pretty stopped a gang beating me up, made sure I wasn't hurt too bad and left. He was always watching me from the shadows. He's the one that taught me how to hold my own in a fight. For the next two years he was the only constant in my life. The last time I saw him was when I was twelve."

Steve had gone still, his features tense as he choked out "who?", bracing himself for the answer.

"The Winter Soldier" Percy said quietly as he watched the room erupt into into chaos.

Natasha had stood up, her usually impassive face betraying the shock she felt. Steve just collapsed into his chair, his hand running through his hair. The dude introduced as Sam Wilson (Falcon) was shouting something.

Clint calmly lifted the air horn and once again pressed the button. It had almost the same effect as before only this time Tony didn't wait as long before revoking his privileges and Natasha took it from Barton and smacked him with it.

"Ow Nat! That was completely unnecessary!" Natasha just looked at him. "Anyway, could we please have some semblance of a normal conversation with Percy? I'm pretty sure he understood none of what just happened. So kid, how about you tell us what SHIELD needs you for besides your connection with Barnes?"

"Well that's the main reason. Fury didn't exactly recruit me just yet but he wants me to help track down the Soldier, so I guess I'm sort of a consultant."

"Hold on. The _main_ reason? What else does Fury from you?" Natasha spoke up.

Percy looked up at that, his gaze meeting Natasha's. "There's a war coming sooner or later. Fury needs someone to turn the tide. I guess he decided that someone was me."

Most of the Avengers just stared at him. The only ones who didn't seem at all affected by the prospect of a war were the Norse deities for whom war was an everyday occurrence and a basic part of life.

The silence was really starting to bother Percy, and he really wanted to try out that air horn which Natasha had conveniently put on the table. It also didn't help that Loki pushed it closer to him.

_Thirty seconds later..._

"Kid not cool! You're just as bad as Birdbrain!"

"Steve can we _please_ keep him? He would be perfect to help me prank Tony!"

"The next person to blow that horn will meet my widow's bites up close and personal." Bruce reached for the horn.

"Guys I call it, we're keeping him."

It took about five minutes and Thor banging his hammer on the table before Steve could get his team to shut up.

"Ok but seriously guys, we _are_ keeping him right?" Sam broke in once everyone shut up.

"Hell yes we are" Clint confirmed.

_~line break~_

"So kid, we never got to interrogate, I mean learn more about you." Tony began. "I mean, I could just hack into SHIELD and read your file but Capsicle says that would be 'intrusive'. He's really boring sometimes and like a strict parent. Can you believe he banned me from my own lab last week?"

"To be fair Tony, you _had_ been in there in two weeks and by that point you were starting to make Clint arrows that would play AC/DC when he fired them" Bruce cut in.

"That's actually pretty cool." Percy said.

"Finally! Someone who understands my genius!"

"Tony your 'genius' wants to put an AI in the microwave."

"Yeah... So? Anyway kid. Story. Bio. Whatever. You do realise we know next to nothing about you right?"

"Highlights or full story?"

"Believe it or not, I actually have a life. With the way Thor practically squealed when he saw you? Highlights. Definitely."

"Well, I accidently vaporised my maths teacher when I was twelve, don't worry she was a monster and I mean that quite literally. Think... Umbridge from Harry Potter but more of a hag. Anyway Zeus accused me of stealing his lightning bolt, what he thought I'd do with it I don't know. Went on a quest to retrieve it... Killed Medusa, the Minotaur... Battled Ares and won... Almost fell into Tartarus... you know, just your average demigod quest. Pretty much completed the twelve labours of Hercules and blew up a volcano at age 14... Yeah that was _not_ fun."

Bruce was just staring at Percy. Tony on the other hand...

"You blew up a _volcano_?! Thor I completely get your fangirling! Kid you are my new favourite person. Birdbrain why did you not bring him to the tower earlier? Anyone who blows up a volcano is welcome here."

Clint looked amused, Steve looked concerned and Thor looked vindicated as if he had just proven that pop tarts were the best food on earth.

"Wait, what was that about Hercules?" Sam broke in.

What? Well yeah, I mean I visit the Underworld on almost a regular basis now, Cerberus and I are pretty good friends. Hades is pretty cool too. I strangled a snake as a kid, quite literally held the world on my shoulders, defeated the Nemean Lion, cleaned Geryon's stables, helped my cousin chase Artemis' sacred deer... No biggie. I mean, Medusa and the Minotaur were more interesting than half that stuff."

"And yet you do not mention defeating Kronos and Gaea? How dull those battles must have been. Small feats for the Survivor of-" Loki was cut off by Percy stiffening. He went pale, his eyes taking on a shattered quality before he started shaking, his breath hitched, his lips were moving but no sound came out.

"Loki he's having a panic attack what the hell did you say?" Tony yelled as he rushed to Percy. "Kid look at me, listen to the sound of my voice. Wherever you think you are, you are _not_ there ok? Come on kid, _breathe_."

"Dark... So dark..." Percy choked out.

"Jarvis increase lighting 100%. Percy you are in my tower, there is light all around you, wherever you are, it's a memory. They can't hurt you anymore. You're safe." He spoke softly, in a way so very different from his normal tone. His voice was calm, no evidence of the worry so clear on his face as he spoke to Percy, slowly bringing him back from whatever dark place his mind had trapped him in.

Finally Percy stopped shaking. He blinked, the shattered look in his eyes lessening.

"Jackson what was that? One minute you were fine and the next..." Steve finished his sentence with a vague hand gesture.

Tony who was now sitting on the floor in front of Percy answered instead, his voice tight with barely concealed anger. "_That_ Captain, was a panic attack. A side effect of PTSD, or in the 40s, known as shell shock. What I want to know is who would be so _fucked up_ as to put a _teenager_ through something that would give him PTSD."

"Then you might wanna go after the fates although I wish you luck ever trying to succeed. That was result of leading two wars and literally going through hell." Percy spoke up, still pale and quite subdued.

"Wait, you _led_ two wars?! You're a kid!" Steve exclaimed.

"He's not just any kid Rogers. He's a demigod. A child of the Big Three. This 'kid' could have been considered an adult at thirteen. Tony once called us Earth's last line of defence, well Percy, me and others like us are the first line. Like it or not, without him, there wouldn't _be_ a planet left to defend." Clint spoke up.

"All the world's a stage Captain. Clint's right. We all have to play our parts and I'm just another soldier." Percy said, his voice brook no arguments.

"Well kid I believe we make our own destiny. Letting myself be ruled by the whims of others isn't that big on my to do list. I don't like being a pawn or playing by the rules of someone else's game. I have a feeling you don't either." Tony said standing up. He went to the kitchen and grabbed a bar of chocolate. "I'm channeling my long suppressed inner Lupin right now, and he says if chocolate is good enough for a dementor attack, it's good enough for a panic attack."

Natasha eyed the chocolate as Percy took it. "Tony you said we were out of chocolate."

"Yes..." Tony's face said it all. He was screwed.

"Percy is eating chocolate. Chocolate not supposed to be here."

"Shit Tony you lied to _Tasha_ about not having any _chocolate_?! **Run**." Clint said with a smirk. You _never_ mess with the Black Widow's chocolate.

Tony ran.

**Whew that's finished. So I'm sorry about the panic attack but seriously? If you expect him to be completely fine, what little bubble are you living in? So the point of it was that Percy is still affected by what he's been through but don't worry it's not like he's gonna be having nightmares and being tortured in his sleep. I never did agree with that path. Any way, I figured he should still have some triggers because even though he is healing, he can't be completely fine just yet. So the occasional nightmare and sleeping with his hand next to a weapon makes sense to me. And considering the fact that it's been a year, most of the triggers would have been broken by now. If you have any ideas or issues with that please let me know. Also I figured Tony would be the best equipped to help him because he also had panic attacks (iron man 3) and it just feels like he would be good with kids (again, Iron Man 3). Steve shouldn't really have much dealing with PTSD since he is from the 40s so yeah. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! So sorry for not updating earlier but I started watching the Mentalist (awesome show btw) and had a mini writers block and I think this chapter may be a little smaller than they normally are. I'm glad you guys are ok with the PTSD because it didnt make sense to me that Percy should be completely unaffected. Also this chapter will have some spoilers for Age of Ultron but in the second half. I will be putting in some events of the movie and will be messing with it a lot. So yeah. Also I feel like I put in a lot of dialogues so sorry about that. By the way, have you ever noticed how alike Percy and Tony are? So I guess I'm gonna be having a fatherlyish Tony and I hope you like it. **

**I hate this thing. I had typed up almost the whole damn chapter and this stupid thing deleted it. Over a thousand words and it was deleted. I'm sorry but this is why you are getting it later than you should have. I only write down the first draft and I edit and add things as I type. What you are getting is gonna be a mix now so I am sorry about that. **

After dropping Percy off in his room (read floor), the Avengers all went their separate ways. Tony went to his lab and immersed himself in his cars. His Bentley was in need of some serious work. The 1954 Bentley Continental was a beauty but seriously high maintenance. Instructing JARVIS to start up one of his playlists, he was soon lost in his world of metal and engines. Until AC/DC's 'Shoot to thrill' was cut off right in the middle of the song.

On instinct he turned and threw the wrench in his hand at the source of the disturbance. Percy ducked, narrowly missing the projectile.

"Do you normally throw wrenches at people who enter your lab? Or is it just when they turn off your music?" He drawled, a smirk on his face.

"Kid, first rule of my lab, unless it's life threatening, no one turns off the music. Also JARVIS, why the Hell was I not informed that Percy came in?"

"With all due respect Sir, when I informed you, you were working on the Bentley's engine and said you couldn't be bothered with minor details."

"Of course that happened. So kid, what's up?"

"The sky." Percy replied automatically.

"Thank you Captain Obvious. You know what I mean."

"Yeah... I just wanted to say thank you for earlier." Percy said, running his hand through his hair. Upon seeing Tony's confused expression he sighed. He really didn't like talking about his flashbacks but after that afternoon he figured he owed Tony at least that much. "When you brought me out of my flashback." He clarified.

"Yeah, no biggie" Tony said easily, as if he dealt with traumatised teenagers every other day of the week.

"It was to me. Nothing, and I mean _nothing_ has been able to bring me out of a flashback that quickly or easily. I mean, they've lessened considerably since before, but when they do happen..."

"It's not pretty?" Tony finished for him, an understanding look on his face.

"Yeah, you could say that. It's just... I can be trapped in one for 15-20 minutes, sometimes even longer. You brought me out of a really bad one in less than five."

"Let's just say that you're not the only one on the team with issues. Hell, I'm practically the walking example of issues." Tony said, a self deprecating smile on his face. Percy looked at Tony surprised. After all, Tony was supposed to be the most self assured one on the team, the most unbreakable. Seeing his questioning look, Tony continued.

"I knew how to deal with your flashback because I have them too. Everyone on the team has scars, whether they admit to them or not. Steve is a WW2 veteran who saw his best friend die in front of him while trying to save him before he was frozen and woke up in a time not his own. Natasha has her own past which is not to be talked of because I like my throat as it is, not slit. Bruce has trust issues and self worth issues and even Clint has his own demons. Me? I have flashbacks and PTSD and trust issues that run deeper than Bruce's and Fury's put together and drown my pain in alcohol. We are all broken here. And we protect our own."

Percy nodded, not saying anything, because really? What could you say to that?

"Ok enough with the chick flick moment. I refuse to allow my life to become a sappy movie. Wilson's got a lead on the Soldier and is taking Cap along too. I assume Feathers is taking you as well?"

Percy blinked at the sudden change in topic before nodding. "Yeah. Winter was sighted in a little country in Eastern Europe called... Sokovia? We're heading out in the morning."

"I'd wish you luck but I don't believe in chance."

"Better hope Lady Fortuna doesn't hear you. Pissing off gods doesn't always give good results as much fun as it is."

Tony grinned widely at that. "Pissing off gods is my favourite hobby. First time I met Thor he blasted me with lightning and Loki threw me out a window. Good times.

"My Bentley, however, needs my full attention right now so either make yourself useful or go bother someone else."

"I always did love cars" Percy said with a grin as he picked up the wrench lying on the floor behind him.

_~line break~_

**SPOILERS FOR AGE OF ULTRON. WHETHER THEY ARE MINOR OR MAJOR (NOT REALLY ALL THAT MAJOR) THEY ARE THERE. Ok you have been warned. I've done my job. Carry on. Btw this is more centering around the Maximoff Twins. **

_Sokovia, outside a demolished HYDRA facility. _

The Soldier had heard of the Twins. Of HYDRA's miracles. They were the only ones who seemed even slightly wary of HYDRA and its motives. So even as he buried 5 bullets into Strucker alone and killed everyone else in the facility, he made sure not to hurt them as he broke the glass of the containers they were in and led them outside.

"You are HYDRA... I do not understand. Why destroy the ones who created you? The ones who would give you purpose?" Wanda asked as she caught sight of the prominent red star on his arm glinting in the morning light.

"And why kill everyone but us?" Pietro continued, his voice suspicious.

"I was HYDRA, yes. I carried out their missions as and when I was required to. But I have a new mission now. You are the Twins, yes? My handlers mentioned you. The 'miracles' of HYDRA."

"You are not the only one who has a mission. HYDRA would have helped us accomplish ours." Pietro said, his face full of anger at the one who took away their only chance at revenge.

"Yes, destroy Tony Stark and take down the Avengers, although the second was more HYDRA's than yours. All of them have their own places on HYDRA's list, Stark being a major player against them will be taken down slowly and with great care. Not the way you mean to do so, painfully, yet quickly compared to HYDRA. Stark does not deserve your hatred, he isn't the one who fired the missile. And I can't let you destroy the Avengers."

"You are HYDRA! What loyalty do you owe them?" Wanda burst out.

"I _was _HYDRA. I was their pet, their asset. A tool for them to use to kill those who would protect the world instead of enslave it like HYDRA plans to. I was like you. HYDRA cares for nothing but the mission and will give anything to achieve. They would turn you on each other if they thought it would bring them one step closer to their goal."

"And how do we know we can trust you?" Pietro asked, unwilling to trust the Soldier.

"You don't. Your sister, however, can."

Wanda nodded at her brother. If what the Soldier said was true, and he certainly believed it, then very clearly HYDRA were the true monsters and she wanted nothing to do with an organisation that would turn her against her brother. Pietro turned to the Soldier. "Alright then, what do you want us for?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey so I guess you guys liked my last chapter. That's pretty awesome. Person D, no biggie! Oh and a huge shoutout to DhampyrX2 for giving me an awesome idea which I didn't think of before. Sepro1000 the only secret is being a girl living with two brothers and having a mix of making up my own games and liking what they do my whole life. Seriously you have to have a good imagination to survive. So I'm pretty sure this is probably gonna be a short chapter, mainly because I'm kinda happy where it ends and because I have been seriously neglecting my other fic Shadows of the past. And my friend got me into anime. For which I am seriously pissed because I was binge watching Death Note on YouTube and I finished it in two days and it affected me a lot emotionally and now I don't know what to do with my life. *sobbing uncontrollably*. Also this chapter has some spoilers for age of ultron. The only bit that doesn't is the middle. Oh well. **

**This first bit is kinda Bucky POV. And a directish continuation of where they were in the previous chapter. **

Bucky looked at the two in front of him. Clearly hardened by loss, they had taken the only available option to them in their need for revenge- joining HYDRA. Thank the gods he had gotten to them in time before they did something irreversibly stupid and end up destroying half the world because of their mistakes. Making them understand the true face of HYDRA was the easy bit. They had clear proof of it even if they chose to ignore it. The hard part- "do you believe in a higher power?"

"God doesn't exist. If He did, or even if He cared, none of this would have happened and our parents would still be alive!" Pietro said heatedly.

Ah excellent. He was dealing with atheists. Bucky wasn't sure if that made his job easier or harder. Sometimes he _really_ hated the fates. "That's another subject entirely. I mean, come on, literally there are two gods on the Avengers. What did you think they were? British? Yeah, no."

"And why would gods concern themselves with pitiful mortals? Do they not have anything better to do?" Wanda said scornfully.

"Apparently not. Point is, there are other deities out there. Believe me, I should know."

"And why should you of all people know?" Pietro asked, his voice full of disbelief.

"Because one of them is my father." Bucky said as he raised the ice around them, encasing them in a torrent of ice and water.

Oh the the look of shock on their faces was priceless. Wanda reached out, her fingers dancing along the wall of ice as she stared around them in disbelief and wonder, trying, and failing, to manipulate the ice around them in even the slightest way. Pietro took a more defensive stance in front of his sister. Well, at least one of them had some form of self preservation skills.

"What kind of magic is this?" Wanda asked, finally tearing her eyes away from the ice surrounding them.

"Not any kind you're familiar with. HYDRA May have given you your powers or enhanced what you already had, but I was born with mine. My father is the Greek god Posiedon. HYDRA is a threat to those I call family. Hell, HYDRA is a threat to those who work for them."

"So you want us to help you take down HYDRA." Pietro finished for him.

"What better way than to use their own assets against them?"

_~line break~_

"Woah." Percy took one look at the armoury in the Tower and almost fangirled. Ok who was he kidding? He totally fangirled... Just a bit. It was stocked with practically every weapon known to man and then some, ranging from bows to daggers and swords to guns. There were even gauntlets and vambraces with hidden daggers that were clearly of Asgardian make. He so wanted a pair. Stopping in front of a very familiar gun... "Shit is that-"

"Hey don't look at me it's Stark's obsession." Clint said, holding his hands up in a surrendering motion.

"He even got the engravings right down to the last detail!"

"I'd let you try it out, but even I've heard of your terrible aim."

"Actually, about that... You of all people should know it's takes as much skill to miss by the amount I was as it does to hit. As someone who's spent a lot of time with a daughter of Athena, I can tell you that statistics suggest that I should have hit the target at least _once_. I am terrible with a bow, I'll give you that. Guns... Well I have to have _some_ cards the other players don't know about." Percy said with a grin as he picked up the Colt, leaving Clint spluttering behind him. "Seriously, Sam and Steve will be ready to go soon and I wanna try this baby out."

Clint finally stopped gaping at Percy but clearly it would take him just a little bit longer before he lost the surprised look on his face. "Since when can you use a gun? Shouldn't _someone_ at camp have noticed?"

"Since I was twelve. Before Camp. Now where can I test out this gorgeous thing?"

"In the field. Clint we're running late and we need you piloting the Quinjet." Steve said as he walked in. "Suit up Jackson."

Grabbing some ammunition for the Colt and giving a longing look at the Asgardian armour, he pulled out a ballpoint pen from his pocket and twirled it around his fingers. "I'm ready."

_~line break~_

Tony was sitting in the lab he shared with Bruce. Currently they were working on a form of bio-engineering until JARVIS spoke in his usual calm voice.

"Sir the algorithm is complete and being accepted."

Bruce looked up at that. "Algorithm?"

Tony's voice betrayed his excitement and disbelief. "A suit of armour around the world. A defense for when we can't protect it."

"Ultron."

**So yeah. That happened. Also Tony was continuously working on the Ultron project and he did it without using the sceptre and Bruce already had some basic idea of Ultron. **

** I swear I have nothing against religion. I am a Muslim and proud, I just feel as if the twins would probably be atheists considering their life. Also no offence to British people, I just read an all human AU sometime back and Thor was like either Australian or British. **

**Also one reviewer asked for Wanda/Percy. Would you guys like that or no? Also the way Percy referred to Annabeth in this chapter is because a) giant war took a year and then it's been a year since then so he should have some time to have healed a bit from her death enough to talk about her at least. Also I don't know anything about science. We go by the British schooling system where I live and I dropped science as soon as I could so I don't know anything besides the basics. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey so wow I got a lot of reviews for the last chapter. It was nice. So technically only two people said no to Percy/Wanda so what the hell, I'll probably go ahead with it but it'll probably be slow and start out as friends and will not be introduced immediately. To the guest Winter, thanks a bunch and I'm not against yaoi but I'm already crap at writing romance so I seriously doubt you'll see any in this fic. Aliissaa14 that was the only chapter I did it for, I'm sorry if it was annoying but I'll take it down sooner or later I just don't want anyone yelling at me for not giving proper warnings or anything. Um just so we're clear, I generally make a ton of references through out so if that annoys anyone, just tell me and I'll cut down a bit. Also I'm travelling in a couple days so my updating schedule might be a little messed up. I'm just going to my grandparents house but it's in a different city so just, I'm sorry in advance if updates are cut down a bit. Also Bucky does remember a lot, as I've already hinted in the previous chapters and I see him and the Winter Soldier as less two people and more just different aspects of the same person. I also seem to have a thing for writing chick flick moments. I'm sorry. This chapter felt kinda flat to me. I'm not sure if I liked too much but idk... Oh well on with the story! I hope you guys enjoy! Please review!**

Sitting on the quinjet just waiting was really starting to grate on Percy's nerves. He was a demigod with severe ADHD, waiting and sitting calmly just wasn't in him. Especially considering the fact that his general mode of travel was spent on the ground fighting monsters the whole way. Granted, Zeus and Hades had given him permission to enter their domains after the Giant War, a lifetime spent fearing the consequences didn't simply vanish so easily.

"So what was he like, when you met him?" Steve spoke up, startling Percy out of his thoughts. "Bucky I mean. You said you knew him for two years."

"Well to be honest, Winter was... like a big brother. Not exactly over protective, but _definitely_ willing to kick some ass to help me. I guess he kinda took the place of the big brother I never had. And... I felt safe around him. Believe me I know first hand how dangerous he could be, but I knew nothing could hurt me when he was there."

"Yeah Bucky always was a protective SOB."

Clint loudly gasped. "Language! Jarvis mark it down. Cap just swore. The world may just end"

"Noted Agent Barton. Would you like me to compare notes with Sir?" Jarvis said, a touch of amusement in his voice.

"Clint are you ever going to let it go? I was in the army, for crying out loud! I can swear!" Upon seeing Sam's face, "Wilson, I swear if you start singing Frozen I _will_ shoot you." And put his head in his hands when Percy began singing instead.

"What? You only said Sam couldn't sing it." He said innocently. Steve sighed while the others laughed.

_~line break~_

_Sokovia. _

"So considering the fact that Winter might not be here and that you guys have probably been in this situation before, what do you do?" Percy asked.

"Check the computers. Barnes generally leaves something. It's like the guy gives us a trail to follow." Sam answered.

"And if you do find him?"

"That's Steve's call." Sam shrugged.

"Guys? You really might wanna see this." Clint's voice came from the control room where he had gone with Steve. Walking in, they were greeted with five different computers all showing one location. The Sokovia facility.

"What does it mean? Didn't you say he leaves some kind of trail?"

"He does. Five computers with five different locations. Some he goes to, some he doesn't, there isn't any particular order but at least it's something. This doesn't make any sense." Clint spoke up, confusion evident on his face.

A silver flash and a piece of paper lay innocently on the table in front of them. Two simple words "doesn't it?" were written on it, mocking them.

"What the Hades was that?" Percy burst out.

"Come on Punk. I taught you better than that. Always be aware of your surroundings. Precision over strength." came a voice from the shadows.

"Bucky?" "Winter?" Came two voices at the same time.

"Thought I told you not to do anything stupid while I was gone." Bucky said with a grin.

"And I thought I said you were taking all the stupid with you." Steve retorted with a smile before rushing to hug his best friend, no, his brother, for the first time in over seventy years.

Finally breaking apart, the Soldier turned to Percy. "Been a long time kid. Still getting your ass kicked or have you finally gotten your shit together and started doing the ass kicking?"

"Bit of both actually. Depends on who you ask." Percy said before hugging Bucky. "You know I'm still gonna be pissed at you for disappearing for seven years with no warning, right?"

"I'd be disappointed if you weren't."

So once what Tony would have described as a 'chick flick moment' was over, Sam finally spoke up.

"So after all this time Barnes, why now? Not that I'm complaining, but we could have played this game forever with you always a couple steps ahead. What changed?"

"I've already taken out most of the major players and their playgrounds. I had a couple things to take care of before I let you find me. 'Sides," ruffling Percy's hair as Percy protested loudly, "I couldn't leave my kid brother to the mercy of SHIELD, could I? Speaking of, Steve I got a couple new recruits for your little boyband."

"Wait, kid brother?" Percy asked confused.

"Recruits?" Steve echoed.

"Wilson can the Avengers be classified as a boyband? I mean, we do have Nat." That one was Clint.

"Yep. Definitely. Natasha is like the annoyed manager who gets us out of trouble."

Bucky shrugged, nonplussed at the others' reactions. "What I was born before World War Two and on good terms with Uncle Hades. _Yes_ Steve, new recruits. Get with the program punk."

A heavily accented voice came from the doorway, "honestly Winter, you talk too much. I've gone over this whole place twice!" A young silver haired male stood in the doorway, beside him a girl with fiery red hair who looked to be about the same age.

"This is Pietro and Wanda Maximoff. They were... recruited by HYDRA who... enhanced them, so to speak."

"Enhanced? More like we were their pets." Wanda scoffed.

"Can we continue this in the jet you left outside?" Bucky cut in. "Cos this place is rigged to blow in... About 15 minutes give or take." Everyone except for the twins stared at him. "What?" He said defensively, "you act as if none of the previous facilities were blown and most of their drives fried. Now can we go?"

They reached the jet just as the first bomb exploded, the noise causing Percy and the twins to flinch, something that did not go unnoticed by the others.

Winter didn't hesitate to call Percy out on it as soon as they were in the air. "Kid I may have spent the past seven years in cryo or on missions but I've heard about the wars. What happened and who do I need to go kill?"

Percy gave a short laugh, but it was far more of a bitter one than they had ever heard the teen give. "No one who isn't already dead or in Tartarus where they belong." The Soldier nodded like he expected nothing less and Percy looked at him curiously. "Why exactly are you fine with being in the air? Shouldn't Zeus have blasted us out by now?"

Bucky grinned at this, "he can't. I'm technically dead and Hades refuses to admit that I didn't die seventy years ago. Uncle Hades is far more awesome than you would think when you're on his good side."

_~line break~_

Arriving at the Avengers Tower by sundown, the place felt almost deserted. Tony Bruce and Loki were all in his lab working on something according to Jarvis. Thor had gone to visit Jane and Natasha was out on some mission by Fury. The three in the lab were called down to meet the newcomers, Tony was fascinated by Bucky's metal arm, but horrified at the destruction his weapons had done to the Maximoffs. Clearly the mistakes of his past were still coming back to haunt him. They had a bad habit of doing that, he thought as his hand instinctively rose to his arc reactor. Even as he apologised profusely his words felt hollow, especially to himself. He destroyed their family, albeit indirectly, destroyed countless others with his blindness and ignorance, what good was a mere apology? As much as he told himself he couldn't be held entirely accountable, he could not say that as he looked the Maximoffs, as he looked at more proof of his failure.

So while Tony was visibly beating himself up the twins were deciding not to entirely hold a grudge against him. The anger they held for years was still there, but less so. Tony just wasn't to take the whole blame. The fact that he felt that bad about it was definitely a point in his favour. Maybe it was better to leave the past where it belonged.

So sitting in their absurdly large room after dinner going over their surreal day both Wanda and Pietro were pinching themselves in an effort to ensure that it was not a dream and they were not about to wake up in HYDRA.

"I don't want to destroy him anymore Pietro. Messing with his mind would be fun but I looked there and he's not to blame for what happened." Wanda said contemplating.

"I believe you but I'm still kinda mad at him. Don't want him dead, but still mad." Her brother replied.

Wanda quickly fell asleep in the comfortable and ridiculously large bed, but for Pietro sleep was much more elusive. Eventually just giving up around 1:45 am he got up and started aimlessly walking around, trying to get a better idea of the tower, with Jarvis occasionally helping him out. He ended up stumbling across Percy who was in the gym pounding a punching bag.

He was about to leave Percy to it when he spoke up, his hands never faltering in their hits.

"Guess I'm not the only one who can't sleep."

"Apparently not."

Percy nodded, finally turning around. "So why can't you sleep?"

"The bed is too soft." He said quietly.

"Like you're sleeping on cotton candy." Percy agreed.

"It doesn't feel real. None of this does. I keep expecting to wake up in that cage of HYDRA'S, unable to control anything."

"Like this is all a dream. Yeah, you're not the only one."

"So what? You just come down here and beat the crap out of punching bags?"

"Pretty much, yeah. I'm a soldier. I was literally born to fight. You don't fight in wars and walk away without battle scars, mental or physical."

Pietro spoke with hesitance, as if unsure whether he was treading on thin ice. "Loki said your fatal flaw was loyalty. He said that meant you would save the ones you love, no matter the cost."

Ignoring the unspoken question, Percy looked at Pietro, his usually carefree eyes filled with pain. "You know, you're lucky. You were able to save your sister, you actually have someone. Me? I wasn't that lucky. The ones I loved died because I couldn't save them. I wasn't fast enough, I wasn't strong enough and they had to pay the price for my weakness and I have to live with the knowledge that my best friends, literally my family, died because I failed. Loki said my fatal flaw was loyalty? He was right. Someone once told me I'd see the world burn to save a friend and its true. I would rather die than see the ones I love hurt."

"Why tell me this? Far as you know I could be working for HYDRA, I could use what you just told me against you."

Percy looked at him for a second as if to say 'how stupid do you think I am?' before scoffing. "You won't. You have limits and HYDRA was a means to an end for you. Besides, believe it or not, I'm actually a pretty good judge of character." He paused for a second before- "Hey I'm hungry wanna go get something to eat? There might be some pizza left over. In fact, I'm sure that some pizza is left over."

Pietro stared at Percy for a moment as if questioning his sanity and the completely random subject change before shrugging and going with it. It wasn't as if he wasn't hungry either.

**And that's a wrap! Personally I'm only really happy with the end cos the rest seems... I dunno kinda flat... eh this is like my longest chapter so yay me! If it's boring or anything pm me or leave a review. Btw, Pietro and Wanda looked like they were about 17 or 18 in the movie so im gonna go with those ages. Also the end was because I really needed a sort of bromance moment between Percy and Pietro. Also I was listening to depressing music. And I really needed a Steve and Bucky hug so yeah. Also, in case you guys hadn't noticed, I referred to Bucky as the Soldier or Winter with Percy and occasionally with the twins, and Bucky with the others, specifically Steve. Personally I see the Soldier and Bucky as two aspects of the same man, just brought out through different situations in life and also Percy never knew Bucky, he only knew Winter. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi. Sorry for the wait but I was kinda demotivated by a couple of reviews. I mean, if you don't like something why would you read it? And like all the chapters even if you think that some of the content is "cringe worthy" and the characters "childish". I get your point but do you have to be so mean about it? If you don't agree with something than say so but don't be hurtful. And I'm sorry for any inconsistencies concerning Percy's schooling but I don't study by the US system but the British one. All I know about the US one is from books and the occasional movie or TV show. And sure call me sensitive or unable to take criticism, but I don't get why you would read something you apparently hate so much. I'm sorry about chapter length but I can't just type out 10000 words or something, for one, not enough content and besides this fic, what I generally write for fun is what you people refer to as drabbles so again, I am _so_ terribly sorry about not being able to meet your oh so high standards. **

**Sorry I needed to get that out of my system. **

**So this chapter started out as something that a reviewer asked for and became something else entirely. (What they actually wanted comes next chapter) ****I'm sorry I swear I didn't mean for it to turn out the way it did. I should warn you I cried while writing the second part and scared myself. Literally after and while writing it I was going holy shit wtf am I writing. I'm so sorry. Umm it's actually kinda gruesome. Just thought I should warn you. **

**Umm btw I read a tumblr post about Slytherin loyalty vs Hufflepuff loyalty, and that Slytherin would be all damn the world, forget everything else, the only thing that matters is saving their friend. They used Steve and Bucky as an example because of the way Bucky jumped from the hellicarrier thingy to save Steve. If you think about it, that is Percy's kind of loyalty. He _would_ destroy the world to save a friend. **

**Oh before I forget _again_ I don't own anything except for the ideas and the ways I mess with cannon. I'm surprised no one's called me out on it yet. **

_**"There is no heroism in war" Skulduggery Pleasant. **_

Bucky jolted awake around 4 am covered in sweat. As much as he appeared to be fine, he still hadn't fully come to terms with all that HYDRA had made him do as the Winter Soldier. It wasn't just the fact that he had killed, even before HYDRA he had been a killer, a soldier. HYDRA just honed the monster already there and unleashed it. It was the fact that he did whatever it took to complete the mission, willing to sacrifice whoever or whatever he had to in order to do so. Shooting someone who was covering the target was no big deal. Just a minor inconvenience.

He was brought out of his thoughts by JARVIS' voice. "Mr. Barnes are you alright? You appear to be a bit stressed."

He waved off JARVIS' concerns. His problems were his to deal with and his alone. "Yeah I'm fine."

"In that case Mr Jackson appears to be experiencing a nightmare. You are the only one awake and as Mr Jackson is more familiar with you than anyone else in the tower, you are the most suitable choice." JARVIS said, his tone urgent.

Upon hearing the words "Jackson" and "nightmare" Bucky practically jumped out of bed. Demigod dreams were bad. Demigod nightmares? Vivid, long and excruciating.

"Which floor?"

"Mr. Jackson is on the 96th floor. I would advise you to hurry, he appears to be growing more distressed by the minute."

Bucky didn't bother with an elevator, taking the stairs two at a time, mentally thanking Stark for placing him only two floors below Percy's. Upon reaching Percy's room and finding the door locked he didn't hesitate in practically breaking the door down as he heard Percy scream.

Inside Percy was thrashing on the bed, muttering names that held no meaning to the Soldier, but he figured they were pretty important to Percy, considering the way he was insisting he failed them. Damn. As much as he hated the idea of his little brother leading wars, he hated the fatal flaw factor even more. Sons of Posiedon generally shared the same fatal flaw, personal loyalty, and it looked like Percy was no different. Either way, Percy had to wake up _now_, or more like ten minutes ago.

Waking up Percy was far harder than it should have been, it was as if Morpheus himself kept him sleeping. When the usual shaking and yelling his name didn't work, he formed a ball of water from the water vapour in the air and unceremoniously dropped it on Percy's head.

_~Nightmare~_

Percy was fighting like a demon, surrounded by his friends. He felt a glimmer of hope as he brought down a hellhound and stabbed a cyclops. Riptide was an arc of destruction that no monster could escape and with his friends by his side he had never felt more invincible as he had that day. But it was just one of many battles. Gaea had indeed risen, but had yet to do more than send her children to fight her battles for her.

It was in the next battle when things went wrong. Thoon, born to oppose the fates attacked them with Mimas, Hephaestus's bane. As Mimas said, plans were broken and maps misread. None of their strategies were working and they were taking more hits than they were giving.

Percy felt some hope though, as the tide began to turn and it seemed for a second as if they may have a chance of winning. Then it happened. One second he and Jason were fighting side by side, grinning at each other as they destroyed monsters, and the next Jason was impaled on an empousa's spear. Jason's once grinning face morphed into one of confusion and pain as he looked down, pressing a hand to his abdomen, bloody fingers curling around the spear shaft, as he choked, coughing up blood as he fell to his knees.

Percy stabbed the manticore he was fighting in the chest and ran to his friend, uncaring of whether or not he even killed the monster.

"Shit Jason. Don't you dare die on me ok? Don't you fucking _dare_." He had never been more thankful for Will Solace's insistence of learning basic first aid, but even as he looked at his friend he knew it was too late.

No one noticed the two boys on the battlefield, as one closed his eyes for the last time after a final goodbye and as the other stood up, tears of sorrow and rage in his eyes as he called his pegasus to take his friend's body back to their camp. They did notice the boy when he delivered retribution upon them. When his sword was covered in their ichor and dust as he fought alongside the gods to take down Mimas.

Piper was the second to die. After Jason's death, she threw herself into the war, taking unnecessary risks and commanding any empousai she met to stab themselves using her charmspeak. She was shot by an arrow while commanding a legion of empousai to kill themselves.

Fighting against Polybotes, they lost Leo when the Giant distracted Percy and drowned the mischievous son of Hephaestus. The poison Polybotes so liked turning water into was used to give him a slow and painful death as Percy drowned and revived him multiple times before striking the death blow with his father.

Hazel and Frank died together, Frank by a dragon and Hazel betrayed by the very mist she commanded and left to the mercy of hellhounds.

Gaea began commanding her armies herself by then, never personally participating in the battles but always there, guarded by one of her children, generally Porphirion, and healing her army using the earth. Eventually though, one by one her remaining children fell until only Porphirion remained.

Percy and Annabeth fought back to back, covering each other, fighting their way through hellhounds, cyclopes and centaurs, finally reaching the king of the giants who was killed with the help of Zeus.

They were winning, they were _actually_ winning. Then it happened. He looked over at Annabeth, lips curving upward into a smile, the first real smile since Jason's death, when he saw Gaea raise her hand and clench it into a fist and he could only watch in horror as tree roots rose from the ground and pierced Annabeth's skin, ripping her up from the inside.

Screaming as Gaea tore apart his hope, he ran to Annabeth, catching her as she fell, tears falling from his eyes as he held her and told her she would be alright and that there was no way she was leaving him after everything they've been through. And as the light faded from her eyes, he stood, tears freely falling from his own eyes as he turned to face Gaea and picked up his sword.

The earth, to survive, required water, no matter where or what it was. Even in the dryest of deserts, there was some form of water. Where they were right now? Surrounded by earth and Gaea's domain, Percy didn't even feel the need for a river.

His face a mask of stone, he surrounded himself and Gaea in a torrent of water, attacking her from all sides, solidifying most of the water into sharp ice which pierced her skin the same way the roots had Annabeth's. The ice was made into water which entered her body as ichor bled out, staining the ground golden. Then he raised his hand and _twisted_. The water inside her, mixed with her own ichor _burned_, and she screamed as it coursed through her veins, burning her from the inside. Percy's face remained emotionless as he buried Riptide between her ribs and let the water surrounding them fall away as he turned around leaving Gaea on the ground behind him, gasping for air as water filled her lungs. She bled out onto the ground, attempting to use the earth to heal herself before Percy lifted her up using the water still coursing through her body as it burned her, slowly draining her life force.

He ignored the dying primordial behind him as he stumbled towards Annabeth and knelt beside her body. He gently closed her eyes before clenching his fists and releasing his anger in the form of an earthquake which destroyed the remainder of Gaea's army.

He was vaguely aware of someone calling his name but facing his friends' gravestones he couldn't bring himself to care.

Until he was forced awake by a ball of water falling on his head that is.

**Holy shit I feel worse every time I read that. I am so freaking sorry. Well at least you got some action right? And yes that got pretty dark and Percy scared me too and I wrote this! Also it is possible for him to go a little dark as seen in House of Hades against the goddess of misery, Akhlys. So yeah. Leave a review maybe? Imma go hide now. Umm also I wrote that whole thing with Jason, not because I like him but because as much as the fandom hates him, he is still Percy's friend. And uh I guess I felt I should tell you guys how the seven died since I never really mentioned it before. Sorry for the feels. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey thanks so much for the reviews guys! You all are seriously amazing and totally motivated me and seriously helped me a lot and it really means a lot to me that you like my story so much. GrowlingGiant I'm really glad you find it believable cos that's been my main aim, that things actually make sense! I am so sorry about the previous chapter and how dark it got. Actually I'm generally way darker in my writing, at least what I normally write. I'm actually kind of known for it. In school whenever I had to hand in an essay, at least one person important to the main characters life has to die or be dead. Generally in a relatively painful way. It's actually kinda funny cos I'm seen as the quiet sweet girl who blends into the background and will help you with your problems, but my dark side can make people run with two words. **

**So I always do some research to make sure I get my facts straight and let everything fall into place. As a result, I found out that Gaea, actually apparently came in Marvel comics. Like she made an appearance and there was a storyline based around it that connected to Thor or something. How epic is that?! Update: apparently there's a whole storyline with the Greek world. **

**Oh and a shoutout to angelsrock27 for helping me with this chapter and giving me some epic ideas. Thanks dude.**

Percy woke up to an uncomfortably wet pillow and the concerned eyes of his brother. He blinked, disoriented as he sat up.

"Scale of one to ten. How necessary was the water?" He snarked. His nightmare did not leave him in a good mood and he really didn't want to have the upcoming conversation.

"About 15. Kid, what the hell did they do to you out there?" Bucky asked, worried.

"Winter do you ever think we're too powerful?" Percy questioned quietly instead of answering. "I mean, what we can do, what we're capable of, does it ever scare you? It scares me."

"Sometimes, yeah. With great power comes great responsibility."

Percy shook his head. What he did to Gaea, Polybotes and others... what he was capable of... it terrified him. When Annabeth had died... he had been so _angry_, so filled with _hate_ for Gaea... "I went to Tartarus. I'm not sure how long I was in there, sometimes it felt like weeks, months and sometimes mere minutes. It changed me. Hardened me. I've killed monsters yeah, but... there was this goddess. The goddess of misery, Akhlys. She would have killed me and Annabeth but I made her choke on her own poison, I practically _tortured_ her. During the war I did things I'm not proud of. Things I never want to do again but I know I will if my friends are hurt or threatened. And it scares me what I'm willing to do when it comes to my friends, just how far I'm willing to go."

Everyone had a dark side, was capable of doing so much harm and so much good, the only thing that mattered was the push that would take them to each side. Bucky had protected Percy when he was younger, helped him through so much, had seen so many different sides of him, but never this one. He had never seen him look as lost before as he was sitting on that bed.

Bucky didn't really do hugs, except for the "hey you thought I was dead or missing and I'm actually not so lets hug" but seeing Percy look so lost and afraid he leaned over and hugged his little brother. "Kid we've all done things we're not proud of. And that fatal flaw? Most of Posiedon's kids have it. Protecting your friends, taking those that have hurt them and hurting them back? Its nothing that anyone should judge you for, nothing that _I'll_ judge you for."

"At Camp they all me a hero. But the things I've done... I sure as Hades don't feel like one. When Leo died, I practically... No I _did_ torture Polybotes. And Gaea? I burnt her up from the inside using the water in her body. Ripped her apart as she did Annabeth and I didn't care when I was doing it. Even now, there's a part of me that thinks she deserved every second of that pain."

"There are no acts of heroism in war. Only acts of necessity. Some don't get that, but like I said, war changes all of us. What you did, what you had to do, that doesn't change who you are, doesn't change the fact that you'll pick good over evil every damn time if I know anything about you."

Percy managed a weak smile. "Rehearse that much?"

Winter smirked and reached over ruffling Percy's already messed up hair. "Smartass."

_~line break~ _

The next week was spent acclimating the newbies (the twins and Percy) to the Avengers. "Acclimating" consisted of movie nights, getting to know each other and spending their days training with the other Avengers and Bucky.

Percy, Pietro and Wanda soon became inseparable. It was definitely helped by the fact that they were the newbies on the team. Bucky spent a lot of time catching up with Steve, although talking about what he went through at HYDRA'S hands was still an off-limits topic. The rest of his time was spent training Percy and the twins with Steve and Natasha.

Natasha was showing Wanda how to knock someone out in under a minute and Steve was busy with Pietro's physical training, I mean, the kid could run but his punches didn't have half the power they should. Body slams were cool but in the long run? Not the best idea. Bucky was showing Percy the true extent of his powers.

"Kid, you've barely even _begun_ to understand your full potential as a son of Posiedon. Hell, even I don't know how much we're capable of and I've had years to experient."

"Well, considering the fact that I've already blown up a volcano and created an earthquake, I have an idea of what I can do."

"Right, and which of those times were intentional? Percy you can create hurricanes, sure, but you've always had some kind of water body nearby.

"First off, water is an essential part of everything. I'm gonna assume you already know this considering the way you took down Gaea." Bucky concentrated for a second before disappearing and appearing behind an incredulous Percy. "The average human is about 65% water give or take. What I just did is called mist travel, using the water in the air to help me." He formed a small ball of water, froze it and threw it towards Percy. "Catch."

Percy caught it on reflex, looking confused. "So... you made this using the water in the air?"

Winter nodded. "Yes. Now you're gonna make one exactly like it. The first step is understanding that no matter where you are, there will _always_ be water around you, with or without any actual source like a river. You just need to sense it."

If Winter was unimpressed by Percy's initial inability to sense water around him he didn't show it, patienty explaining it to Percy until he could.

Once Percy was able to manipulate water molecules in the air as if he was doing it with a physical source, Bucky began explaining his theory to him.

"So Posiedon is more than just the god of the seas, he is the Stormbringer, Earthshaker. There has to be more to him than just water manipulation right?"

"You know, you're the first of my children to figure that out." Came a voice from behind them. Both Bucky and Percy turned around to see Posiedon standing there as if he regularly crashed training sessions for fun.

"Athena owes me. She thought it would have taken far longer and herself explaining it for my 'kelp-brained children' to understand that they aren't just limited to water." Posiedon continued calmly, ignoring his sons' confusion at his sudden appearance.

"Well its not like there's an instruction manual that comes along with the demigod package." Bucky said before embracing his father. "Been a long time dad."

"Far too long" Posiedon agreed, glad to meet his son again after so long. "The sea is rejoicing at your return. Even Triton cracked a smile when he heard."

"Of course the twin tailed mermaid is happy I'm back, we didn't hate each other half as much as we let on. And how is Uncle Hades explaining my reappearance?"

Posiedon laughed at that, his face breaking out in a huge grin as he recounted the way Hades had began a huge rant about underworld procedures and mix ups and incomplete funeral rites. By the time he brought up Sisyphus and Houdini Zeus figured it was useless and had to let the matter go. He hadn't even noticed the smug smile on Hades' face.

"And people wonder why I always want to be on his good side." Bucky said before turning to face Percy. "See I told you Uncle Hades was awesome."

Posiedon grinned before a serious expression crossed his face. "As amazing as Hades can be when you get on his good side, we have problems."

Both Percy and Bucky snapped to attention like the soldiers they were born to be. "What sort of problems? Greek or mortal?" Percy asked.

"Both. Prometheus is, unfortunately, _not_ keeping his head down like he was supposed to after the second Titan War. He sees an opportunity in HYDRA. One he intends to exploit to his own purposes, of course."

Bucky cursed at HYDRA'S name. "HYDRA has a motto. More of a promise, really. Cut off one head and two more shall grow in its place. How powerful are they?"

Posiedon looked grave, "very considering their allies. May Lady Fortune be on our side for this time."

"Come on dad, if luck was on our side a lot of shit wouldn't have gone down. Besides, we make our own destiny." Percy said, his face determined. Smiling at his youngest's optimism Posiedon left. He had stayed far too long already, he really didn't need Zeus (aka Olympus' biggest drama queen) after him for saying too much. Something about a need to know basis? The god of the seas couldn't care less about who his brother deemed as need to know and who he didn't.

_~line break~_

Tony was still working on ULTRON. He had enlisted Loki to help him and Bruce and so far the artificial intelligence seemed to be working as it was supposed to. Everything was going well, until it wasn't.

"All of you are puppets... tangled in... strings. There are no strings on me."


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey so this chapter deals with the events of Age of Ultron and as you can guess I mess with some events. Meaning #Pietrolives. So considering my messing with cannon ways, since the avengers never went to Sokovia for how about Bucky retrieving it and giving it to them? Cos it's kinda important ****cos of Vision. Um this chapter is written in a slightly different style than my usual and I hope you guys aren't too annoyed by it. Also, I am _one _review away from 100! Which is awesome. Oh and my cousin is now reading this which means you guys can probably expect reasonable updates because she will get on my case if I don't hurry up and write. This should be fun... The line breaks are not because I was bored but because that was just how this chapter was written. **

**Oh well read review and enjoy! **

**Hey guys, sorry that I haven't updated with the new chapter just yet. Don't worry I'm working on it. But I felt that this chapter could be better and so I've been working on refining it a bit. Hope you guys like the changes!**

Percy brought yet another robot down crashing to the ground in the roaring winds of his own personal little storm. The truth was, the reason they were here was, unsurprisingly, Tony.

As much as Percy wanted to hate Tony for Ultron, he truly couldn't find it within himself to blame the man. Not when he understood his reasoning so well. Not when he would, given the means, do the same. To protect his friends he would willingly give everything, do anything.

But seriously Tony? A robot that wanted to save the world by destroying it? Really Tony, _really_? Did the guy _not_ watch movies? This _literally_ happened in every single robot movie. Every. Single. One. And its not like they had Will Smith or Terminator to save the day in a nice little final battle scene.

Percy wondered though, as he stabbed the robot in front him and impaled a couple others sneaking up on him and Wanda with ice daggers if this counted as the climax scene. Probably.

* * *

After Ultron's appearance everything was going to Hell in a handbasket. JARVIS was... gone. Destroyed. His greatest creation, the closest thing he had to a best friend, was murdered. But Tony couldn't give up. Not when it was for JARVIS.

He had to admit, Thor choking him wasn't really expected. It took Loki, Steve and Percy to pull him off. Loki stood there looking disappointed and ready to yell at Thor once they got him to put Tony down. Ah, emotional blackmail, one of the most powerful yet underestimated weapons of all time.

Then there was Percy. After making sure that Tony was alright he turned to Thor, glaring, anger blazing in his eyes. Thor flinched. He had never flinched before, not even at anything concerning what Loki had done. Tony did _not_ want to be at the receiving end of that glare. Percy's death glare deluxe was freaking _scary_ and he could definitely now see how this kid had gone through hell itself and come out still standing on the other side.

Percy spoke in a deathly calm voice. "What were you thinking of just now Thor, when you were practically strangling Tony? Did you maybe hope that hurting him would get you answers? That he would cease his 'incessant ramblings' and miraculously fix this situation?" His voice grew hard as he stepped towards Thor, body tense with anger. "Because I for one do not see any point in us fighting each other. You know what I do see? Chaos and one _hell_ of a lot of unwanted issues."

Thor had the good grace to look ashamed. His anger and battle lust had never been one of his strong points. It was what got him sent to Earth in the first place, his inability to control his anger and deal with situations properly.

Bruce's words from when the Avengers had been formed echoed through all those who had heard them. "What is this, a team? No. This is a chemical mixture that makes chaos." Those words had never felt so appropriate. How could they be a team if they couldn't see past their differences, past their mistakes and just let their anger overtake them?

Percy, however, ignored Thor's guilty look and turned to Tony, his tone still pissed. "Ok, so far I've got you creating some sort of AI that was supposed to help people and Bruce and Loki helped you with it. Said AI, did not work the way he was supposed to and has now turned on you and is hellbent on saving the world by destroying it, destroying _you_, Tony, and appears to have killed JARVIS." Tony flinched at that and Percy sent him an apologetic look before continuing. "We have little to no idea what Ultron wants besides that or where he's heading. Is that all?" At Loki's nod he continued.

"Ok we're gonna need some damage control. Is there any way to track Ultron? Or even get some basic idea of where he's going? Bruce work on that. Tony, see if there's any way you can get JARVIS back online. Loki your sceptre was used to help make Ultron right? I think you guys were discussing how it gave off some sort of signature or something which was how Bruce and Tony tracked down the Tesseract. I know Ultron took it but can you replicate something like it to track him down maybe? Or just track down the sceptre? Steve, the Tower's been compromised. Nat, Clint, we're gonna need some kind of a safehouse. Preferably one of which there is no computerised records. I figure you're the best people to ask." The Avengers just stared at Percy and the way he calmly dealt with the situation. Slowly they nodded and Clint said he might have a place.

Percy then looked towards Wanda, his voice softening as he spoke to her. "By any chance were you able to get a look inside his head? Anything at all that could help us?"

"He wanted a new body. I think he might be headed to the facility in Sokovia but that wasn't the only place he wanted to go. That felt more of a final destination. After all, that is where Winter found the sceptre and HYDRA had many rooms filled with many things that wouldn't have been destroyed by the bombs that Ultron could use." She replied.

Percy nodded. "So Sokovia is his main destination but he has some secondary destinations too? Ok we can work with that. Right?"

The others nodded, making a mental note not to mess with Percy when he's in leader mode.

* * *

Ultron was... an enigma. They didn't know what to make of him, of his similarities to Tony. As they dealt with Ultron, the similarities between the two became painfully obvious. They thought and acted the same way, Hades, the snarky comments Ultron made were all Tony. And wasn't _that_ ironic considering the fact that Ultron hated even the very mention of Tony?

They thanked whatever god there was out there that Tony was on their side because if he wasn't... well, Loki wouldn't have been the one to bring the Avengers together and what was known as the Battle of Manhatten probably would not have ended the way it did. That may have been the time the good guys didn't win.

Wanda was the first to call it to attention, the only one to point out what they all knew and what they all feared.

"Ultron doesn't know the difference between saving the world and destroying it. Where do you think he gets that from?"

* * *

At the tower Tony had managed to get Jarvis back online. Despite the fact that he had created Jarvis, the AI never ceased to surprise him with what he was capable of and today was no different. Tony had never been so thankful for that.

And never had he more reason to hate Ultron. Uploading Jarvis into Vision had been the only available option to him to take down Ultron. And it had cost him Jarvis. His best friend was most likely well and truly gone this time with maybe no way to bring him back. It was about damn time Ultron went down.

* * *

Racing to Sokovia as they all finally got their shit together and understood that the only way Ultron was going down was if they worked together. Because alone, they were amazing. Working together? They were unstoppable, invincible.

And along the way maybe they had forgotten that for a bit, forgotten that they worked best as a team. Maybe they forgot that it wasn't only the world they fought for, but for the people that mattered, for the people they cared about. And maybe they _had_ forgotten for a bit, but that was ok, because in the end they remembered. They all remembered what they fought for, _who_ they fought for. And that day, they kicked ass.

* * *

"How can you hope to stop me?"

Ultron, so ridiculously confident of his power, of the 'Earth's mightiest heroes' inability to work together, after all, how could he lose? Voice smug with a tinge of surprise at the 'heroes' before him still refusing to back down as he spoke. It was a rhetorical question of course, he was most assured of his victory, but Tony Stark was never one to keep his mouth shut.

With a sideways look at his companions, Tony spoke up. "Like the old man said, together."

* * *

Loki grinned as he was surrounded by drones. He wasn't called the god of mischief and chaos for nothing. Summoning a ball of green fire in his hand he figured it was time to remind them why Loki's name was regarded with apprehension and fear on each of the nine realms. After all, he had been raised an Odinson and it was time they remembered what he was capable of.

* * *

Wanda was terrified and it took Clint a second to realise that she was _seventeen_. She may have been experimented on by Hydra, but she had never been in a war. She wasn't raised to fight, not like he was, not like demigods were.

He wasn't even sure what came tumbling out of his mouth, what he was saying besides telling Wanda that she wasn't the only one who was in over her head.

"But if you step out that door, you are an Avenger."

Clint kind of wanted to freak out a bit right about now. The city was freaking flying and Ultron had an army that never seemed to end. And he was just one guy with a bow and a bunch of arrows. Nothing made sense and he had to try and stop a seventeen year old from losing it. He really hated his job some days but he probably still wouldn't trade it in for a boring nine to five job. He had too much fun for that.

* * *

Ultron laughed. The so called Avengers were fighting, giving their all, he was sure. But it wouldn't be enough. Ironic as it may be, Stark's dream of a suit of armour covering the world would come true. Just not the way he wanted it to. "Do you see the beauty of it? The inevitability? You rise, only to fall. _You_, Avengers, _you_ are my meteor. When the dust settles, the only thing living in this world, will be metal."

His laugh was cut off as a broken drone animated with red sparks was thrown at him and a sudden wave of water brought him down. On second thought, taunting them may not have been the best way to go.

* * *

Percy and Wanda stayed by the big metal thingy in what used to be a church neither could be bothered to remember the name of when Tony was explaining. Percy's brain had a couple of simple commands right now and none of them had anything to do with remembering the stupid thing's name. Protect. Attack. Defend. Repeat. That was all he knew. Ducking as Wanda used her telekineses to slam one bot into another, he sent water into another bot and froze it, tearing it apart.

Seeing Wanda about to be overwhelmed by about eight of the bots he acted instinctively, cutting through one with Riptide, impaling others on his ice daggers and encasing the remaining two in ice before using said ice to shatter them.

Wanda stood up, slightly shaken but alright considering the circumstances. "Thanks."

"No problem-" Percy was cut off as Wanda pushed him to the side and used her magic to imobilise the drone behind him before yanking its head off and whirling around to destroy another.

"Fight first talk later?" She offered. Percy nodded before calling up a small huricane.

* * *

Steve had never been more grateful to hear Fury's voice over the comms. He may not completely trust the man, but as many problems as Fury dished out to them, he also came equipped with a few miracles. At least now they had a chance to save the people on this flying monstrosity of an island. He could hear the relief in the other's voices as he relayed the news to them and called on Bucky and Loki to evacuate the place.

* * *

Pietro liked Clint. He was fun and could lighten the very sombre mood that had been hanging over the Avengers since the first appearance of Ultron. He also had two kids so Pietro wasn't very surprised when he ran to help the small boy who was trapped and crying for his mother. Most of the Avengers were split up all over the island making their way to the hellicarrier, with the exception of Thor and Tony who were in place to blow this place as soon as they could and Percy and Wanda who were almost there and in sight.

The only problem was that Ultron was shooting at Clint, and he was the only one who could possibly get to him in time. Did he mention Ultron was shooting like a mad man and him getting hit was more than just a possibilty?

He took off in Clint's direction, running faster than he had before. He barely registered Percy breaking into a run.

He crashed into Clint, moving him and the kid behind an upturned car before collapsing on the road.

"Bet you didn't see that coming." He gasped out, waiting for the pain to hit because there was _no way_ he wasn't hit by one of Ultron's bullets.

Clint motioned behind Pietro. "Bet _you_ didn't see _that_ coming." There was a wall of ice covering them and they could just see the fingers of a large watery hand pull Ultron out of the sky.

Moving to the front of the giant ice wall they could see Percy slamming a frozen Ultron around, his face angry. Evidently he didn't like when Utron messed with his friends.

* * *

Percy walked into Tony's lab to see him sitting down next to one of his cars, his head in his hands. It took some time before he registered that the car was the Bentley they had worked on together almost two weeks ago.

"It hurts doesn't it?" He asked, seeing the broken look on Tony's face.

"What, losing my best friend? Losing one of the closest things I had to a brother because of something _I_ created? Damn straight it does. Ultron was my fault, I know that. I know the kind of destruction he's caused, how many people died because I created a fucking _murder bot_ that may have well come out of Terminator. I just don't know why Jarvis had to pay the price."

Percy looked at the broken man in front of him. He had pretty much lost the most out of all of them but that was apparently canceled by the fact that he had created his own version of Skynet.

"Why _did_ you create Ultron?" Percy asked quietly. "I know you said it's because you're tired of the fight, but that's not entirely true, is it? I may have only known you a couple weeks but you're not the kind of person who would ever leave the fight out of choice. You're the kind who would fight to the end just because you can. Because anything is better than standing and watching the people who matter most to you die when you could have prevented it."

Tony gave a bitter laugh. "And that's what got us into this situation in the first place. Because there is no way I'll let those I care about get hurt even if I have to build a hundred suits. And look how well that turned out. I took a fricken _nuke_ into space and almost died looking at the most beautiful and terrifying thing I have ever seen. Nothing has made me feel so insignificant, so powerless. _Nothing. _And believe me Jackson when I say I've seen a lot.

"In a world this vulnerable, we need something more powerful than any of us. Because what happens when we're not enough? When the world goes to shit because we _aren't_ powerful enough to defend it, when we _can't_ save the ones that matter?"

Percy looked at Tony, no pity in his gaze, just understanding as he got up from the work bench he had been sitting on and walked to the door. Before leaving he turned around to face the man who was quickly taking the place of a father figure to him in this new broken family of his. "The people we love will always get hurt. Our burden is that we're unable to prevent it and _that's_ what hurts. The fact that we _weren't_ strong enough. But sometimes all we can do is brave the storm and hold the ones we love close especially when we can't stop the storm itself."


	12. Chapter 12

**I don't like this chapter. Not really. Especially not the middle. It's small and is just not right. I like the end though. The rest feels "meh" and flat. I blame the writer's block I had half way through. I have some idea as to the next chapter but this one I really don't like. **

_"There one path to peace... your extinction."_

Tony woke up gasping. He could still hear Ultron's voice as he mocked them, as he tried to destroy everything they stood for and nearly succeeded. And knowing it was all his fault. _What was that saying?_ The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Those words had never rung truer.

* * *

Once the dust had settled down and everyone actually had a second to think of the battle and how many times they nearly died, Wanda launched herself at Percy who stumbled back in surprise, wrapping her arms around him in a bone crushing hug. "You saved Pietro."

Percy shrugged, uncomfortable. "Yeah of course I did, it isn't really that big of a deal. We all saved each other at some point."

Wanda shook her head. "It is a very big deal for me. Pietro is everything for me, the only one I have left. All my life everyone has left, he is the only one I'm used to relying on."

Percy gave a small smile before hugging her. "He's not the only one you have left anymore. Now you have assassins, gods, geniuses, supersoldiers and whatever the hell you can classify Tony as. I know something about being alone and you won't be anymore. Not while I can do anything about it."

* * *

Glaring at the file Hill had placed in front of him, Bucky began to truly appreciate demigod wars where he didn't have to deal with the completely anticlimatic aftermath of battles provided by SHIELD. He could sum his part up in a couple of sentences, why did he have to write up a report? The first half of the battle he had found a nice high building which was relatively well protected from the drones and was living up to his well-earned title of best sniper of the Howling Commandos. Then he was kicking ass with Steve after he ran out of ammo. Besides Steve was taking ridiculously unnecessary risks. Honestly, 70 years and he _still_ hadn't learned anything worth a damn. _Oh no_, comes out of the ice and gets himself thrown straight into another war. At least now he gave as good as he got.

Anyway, he finished off helping Loki with evacuation and destroying a couple more drones. And there was his part. Was it really necessary to mention _every damn detail?_

_No he didn't know how many bullets he used!_ Besides, it wasn't like he only stuck to guns. Grenades went a long way when you were facing a bunch of drones who were relatively close together. And he honestly didn't care whether he used 5 or 20 of them. Besides, it wasn't as if he would do more than just go down to the armoury and get more ammo. Tony was always adding more to it so did he _really_ have to mention every stupid insignificant detail? _Yes_ he kicked ass with Loki, _yes_ he stopped Steve from killing himself a couple times because he didn't know when to stop. _Of course_ he met up with his brother and helped him.

Any more information required? If so, please refer to the internet, and the _many_ videos online which were taken of them in action. Oh, and not to forget the speculation on if they were mutants or experiments. Snorting at some of the ridiculous theories Stark regaled them with, his only reply to them would have been "a bit of both." Hades, people were crazy.

* * *

In the month after Ultron they all fell into a sort of routine. Steve, Natasha and Bucky began with training the newbies and Percy started to focus on developing his powers. Since the mist was "screwed to Hell and back" as Clint had so nicely put it, Tony had a sort of gym built with SHIELD where they all could practice their powers without the interference of mortals or reporters. Tony being Tony went totally overboard with it. Not that anyone expected anything less but...

There was a 50m swimming pool. There was an area set aside so Percy could practice making earthquakes and in case Pietro was in the mood for a run. For Wanda's telekinesis, there were a variety of objects of various sizes and weight. He had devoted an entire section to hand to hand combat, with punching bags and even a boxing ring. Hell, there was even a shooting range fully equipped with all manner of guns and a ton of arrows in case Clint happened to drop by. Which he did, actually, almost every day without fail.

Another corner was set up with training dummies, asgardian and greek armour and all manner of swords and daggers. Loki already challenged Percy to a friendly duel, a challenge he gladly accepted. That would definitely be interesting to watch.

When they first walked in, Percy turned around to face Clint. With a perfectly straight face, "I don't recall being told we were going to start training for the hunger games."

Clint shrugged. "What's the difference? Either way we kick ass and look amazing while doing it."

Percy nodded in agreement. "Well obviously, that goes without saying. But wow, does Tony always go this overboard?"

Clint nodded. "That's a mild way of describing it. According to him, if he can, there's no reason why he shouldn't. It's best to just go with it and expect the unexpected when it concerns Tony."

* * *

Prometheus sighed. Dealing with mortals had to be amongst the most trying experiences of his immortal life. Hydra was an organisation that was the least infuriating, to be quite honest. Their foresight was truly brilliant for mortals, and of course, as the titan of foresight, he greatly appreciated Hydra's efforts.

Of course, he did not depend on Hydra alone, he had a few other 'projects' underway and allies who were gathering him a nice little army. Well, _he_ said little.

Monster activity was decreasing. Not enough to raise suspicions of course, but enough to lure the demigods into a false sense of security before he struck. And strike he would.

To be honest, Kronos was an ass, but he was an ass who knew what was what. The gods were world class jerks, most of whom didn't even care about their children until Percy's demand after the second Titan War. A demand which shouldn't have been necessary, but was. He figured it was about time for a regime change. The gods may not have understood why so many of their children rose against them, but it was only a matter of time before it happened again. And who better than to begin the new age than the titan of foresight? Would there even be anyone better?

His one true regret would be Percy Jackson. A worthy ally, the only one truly capable of seeing the world in all its horror and still being able to not only hope for the best, but make it happen. There truly would have been no better recruit. Percy had a habit of being inspirational without even knowing it, but unfortunately, the son of Posiedon was unshakable in his morals and nothing would sway him. Pity, but for things to change there must always be a sacrifice. And if that had to be Percy Jackson, so be it. This was a game of kill or be killed, and Prometheus prefered Earth over Tartarus any day.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey so you know the Percy and Loki duel I hinted at last chapter? Well here it is! So this chapter is like a month after chapter 12 which means Percy has that much more training from Bucky. I really like this chapter and I hope you guys do too. **

**I am so glad to get this up tonight cos Imma be busy this whole weekend. I'm a Muslim (and proud!) and tomorrow is a holiday we call Eid which is to celebrate the end of our month of fasting. It's tons of fun and totally awesome. So for any other Muslims out there who might be reading this, I hope you have an awesome Eid! **

**Ok so by this point I'm probably rambling but little fun fact: in the myths, Laufey is Loki's MOM not his dad. His dad is someone else. I was looking up what Loki was capable of when I came across this wonderful piece of info. Way to go Marvel. Way to go. Oh and you guys should listen to Breaking Benjamin's 'Hollow'. Totally awesome song and I think it describes Loki of movie one pretty well. Update: I was thinking of another song but I thought it was this one. Sorry. But this song is also pretty awesome. **

**Oh well, on to the chapter! **

Loki grinned as he grabbed his daggers. Percy had finally agreed to the duel after weeks of Bucky training him, and he couldn't wait. It had been far too long since he had last sparred against someone who could match him blow for blow. This was going to be _fun_.

All powers were allowed, and any weapons. Loki didn't really bother with too much armour, though. It would just slow him down. And the norns knew how he hated anything that could hold him back.

He noticed Percy also wore minimal armour, armed with only Anaklusmos and a retractable shield. Smart, considering he was going up against the god of mischief and chaos. He would need speed and agility over the protection of armour. The son of Posiedon was often considered dumb due to speaking without thinking more often than not, but when it concerned battle, his insight and ideas were valued as much as any child of Athena's was for strategy. It was also a nice change to go up against an opponent who did not rely solely on brute strength, unlike certain others _cough_Thor_cough_.

The first five minutes they warmed up, learning the other's style. Loki struck first, hard and fast with his daggers, attacking Percy's defenses. Percy retaliated and soon the clang of metal was the only sound that could be heard, their hands a blur as they fought.

Finally Loki knocked Riptide out of Percy's hands, raising his dagger to rest on Pecy's collarbone.

"I guess this one goes to me." He grinned. Percy grinned back, before kneeing him in the gut and forming a dagger of ice and slashing upwards, barely giving Loki enough time to move back. "Or not."

He sent a ball of green fire at Percy who smirked and called up a mini hurricane throwing Loki back a bit.

_And here was the fun part._

Loki's grin didn't fade even as he faded from view and formed various illusions of himself that surrounded Percy who blinked in surprise at the sudden change in tactics and stopped the hurricane. Well, it wasn't as if Loki was known for being predictable.

Percy sent random spikes of ice at each of the figures, unsurprised as they faded into nothing. Only question was, where the hell was Loki?

Turning around after feeling a disturbance in the air, he saw Loki materialising behind him staff at the ready and a ball of fire in his hand. Crap. Raising his hands and barely forming a crude shield of water in time, he just barely deflected Loki's attack. And because fire wasn't enough, Loki sent bursts of energy at him. Well, two could play at _that_ game.

He created a mini earthquake, throwing Loki off balance and sent a dozen shards of ice at him along with some water balls for good measure, thoroughly dousing the god. Loki had anticipated the ice but not the water and was soaked, the ever present grin still visible as he retaliated with another energy blast. This continued for a bit until Loki, seemingly bored, sent an ice blast at Percy. To say the demigod was confused was an understatement. He wasn't the only one. Loki had never displayed his jotunn side so blatantly and no one knew if he had even accepted that part of himself yet.

The grin fell from Loki's face for the first time since their fight began, replaced with a scowl. He renewed his attack with blasts of energy so strong Percy could barely keep up with, even with his shield taking the brunt of the attack. He would probably have to ask Tyson to fix it again. Great.

The fight finished soon after, Loki almost blasting Percy's shield to bits and nearly knocking out the demigod with the sheer force of his attack.

The god of chaos gave a small, slightly apologetic smile to Percy after helping him up before dissappearing. The others, who had finally stopped gawking, came out from behind the protective glass Tony had installed a week ago. Evidently he felt that if two powerful beings were going to 'nuke it out', whether on friendly terms or otherwise, they all needed to witness it. Also he didn't want the rest of the gym destroyed.

"Is it just me or was Loki holding back on us during the invasion?" Steve asked a confused look on his face.

"My brother is very powerful in his own way. Not like an Asgardian is, in pure physical strength, but powerful nonetheless." Thor spoke gravely.

Tony interjected at this point after fistbumping Percy. "Are none of you gonna talk about how awesome the kid was? We can debate the many ways of how and when Rock of the ages could have killed us later. This is the longest anyone has ever held up aginst Loki. I'm getting pizza to celebrate."

"I want cheese." Percy spoke up immediately. Clint voted for pepperoni which was immediately vetoed by Natasha.

An hour later a _very_ confused pizza boy showed up with 17 different pizzas.

* * *

Percy found Loki on the rooftop that night. The god was quiet, seemingly lost in the skyline. He had never seen the New York skyline from such a height but he had to admit, it looked pretty awesome at night.

"Pretty epic duel today. I mean, obviously you won, but I had fun. We should do it again sometime so I don't lose as epically as I did today."

Loki jumped at the sound of Percy's voice, having been fully immersed in his thoughts until Percy drew him out quite suddenly. Regaining his composure quickly, he replied with a smirk. "Such less faith in yourself Jackson?"

Percy scoffed. "Says the guy with thousands of years of training to the one with barely a month."

The grin didn't leave Loki's face as he turned to face Percy. "Well, what can I say? I did have high hopes for one who bested Ares at the age of 12."

Percy shook his head, a smile lighting up his face. "First off, that was more swordfighting than magic. Second, you know what, I'm not even going to ask how you know about that. Honestly is all your godly gossip about us demigods?"

"Not _all_. Well, most is." Loki admitted. "Don't tell any of the gods I've been giving away their secrets, but demigod tales are far more interesting then godly exploits which are both overdone and repeated so often I could probably recite most word for word." Seeing Percy's raised eyebrow and slightly disbelieving look, he emphasized the last few words. "No, seriously, we love telling over embelished tales of our own accomplishments. I'm Norse remember? Nothing is better than 'dying a glorious death in the midst of battle.'" He looked thoughtful for a moment before amending his statement. "Well, except for living and telling the stories of how we 'bested our foes' in said battle. If a friend died during warfare, stories are told of his or her utter bravery to face death with a smile on their faces, embracing it. Oh and the fact that they are probably already partying in the halls of Valhalla. I have heard a million different variants of the same boring story, I should hope I would be allowed a different, more interesting one."

"So your next source of entertainment is us?" Percy questioned, an unreadable expression on his face.

Loki shrugged. "I suppose, yes. I'd apologize, but you appear to be used to the gods' disregard for their heroes. Also I never liked using others as entertainment or otherwise." His tone darkened at the end, barely concealed rage in his words. "I know with what I did when I first came to Midgard this may seem contradictory, but no matter what they think,_ no one_ should ever be manipulated to be a pawn in some god's games."

"Glad I'm not the only one who feels that way. But then again, I'm usually the preferred pawn so my opinion could be considered biased."

Loki clenched his fist, anger clear on his face, accompanied by a self depracating smile. "Well, you're not the only source of amusement there is. You know I am not of Asgard? My birth right is that of Jotunheim, realm of the frost giants. Otherwise regarded as monsters."

Percy nodded slowly when Loki paused, unsure where this was leading but definitely surprised at learning about Loki's true heritage. "I grew up taught to fear my own kind, then taught to kill them. My own brother swore to hunt them down like Odin has done.

"And then I learnt that I _was_ the very thing I had been told to hate. I _was_ the monster parents told their children about at night. Taken as a child to, what? Bring peace between two warring nations? Yes, because that makes _so_ much sense. Teach your son to hate something and then tell him he is the very thing he was raised to hate! _Thank you_ Odin, for your _great_ wisdom and foresight! It is _such_ an _honor_ to be told that I am little more than just another relic and a pawn for your use."

Loki spoke bitterly and Percy could tell that he was just about done with his adoptive father. He couldn't blame the god, Odin sounded just about as amazing as Zeus when the god of the skies was throwing a tantrum. Which is to say, absolutely awful.

Percy looked at god beside him who was shaking with barely suppressed anger. "The only thing that makes you a monster is you." He spoke softly but with an edge to his voice, unwilling to trigger something within the god beside him and have Loki go on a rampage, but also needing to get his point accross. "Not Odin, not your heritage and not other people. No one gets to say who you are."

"And how would you know?" Loki asked after a moment's silence, his anger cooling. Not fading, exactly, but hidden beneath a calm exterior.

"Because I have lived my whole life, short though it may be compared to yours, being judged for things out of my control. In school I was the freak with ADHD and dyslexia who got kicked out of every school I went to. At Camp, I've been their leader because I'm the prophecied Son of Posiedon. Someone who cannot break, cannot lose hope and has to somehow win against impossible odds. I've been through wars, gained and lost friends and survived Tartarus itself. You think I let my past define me? My heritage? I love my dad, but he has almost _no_ part in who I am today.

"The first thing you learn when you're a demigod is that your future is already foretold in some prophecy. Well I say screw fate, _you_ are in control of your destiny. Not anyone else. It's a little thing called free will, think about it some time."


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys! So sorry for the late update but I've had a bit of writer's block and a busy few days. My friend got me to join a MUN with her and it was so exhausting! But a lot of fun too. My chair (the head dude in charge of the committee) literally had hair like Wolverine! He (and his hair) was awesome! And I had to debate with the vice president of the entire committee! Now THAT was scary. Especially since I didn't have half my research. So yeah. **

**Oh and a reviewer said that my title is from this song "Heroes" by Mika. Obviously, I listened to the song. It was amazing! I personally could relate to it because I am from a country where terrorism is a problem and I recently saw a boy my age who was a victim of a major attack stand up in front of a crowd (that I was in) and say that he was going to join the army to fight against these terrorists and, you know, greatly affected by it. **

**Anyway, since I have mostly been stuffing pep talks and serious shit in my chapters, here is a chapter full of stupid shit (in my language "bakwaas" meaning rubish) and I hope you enjoy! Oh and I also try to get a move on with the Percy/Wanda thing I'm trying to go for. Btw there is a time skip between the first part of the chapter and the rest. Just a couple of days. **

Percy was woken up at 3 in the morning by three things. The first was what sounded like arrowheads being thrown at his window. The second was Jarvis' slightly apologetic voice. The third was Loki shouting.

"Get in loser. We're going shopping."

Stumbling to the window, he rubbed his eyes in slight disbelief. "Did you just quote _mean girls_ at me?"

Loki nodded. "Yes I did. Now hurry up!"

He was sitting with Clint and Tony in what appeared to be a flying car. "Why are you guys in a flying car at 3am? Last I checked, this is not Harry Potter."

Tony snorted. "_Please_. My dad nearly had this shit figured out in the _40s_. I'm pretty sure I have it perfected by now."

"And if he hasn't, I have magic. You know, now that I think about it, magic is pretty awesome. And since I have magic that _totally_ means I'm awesome." Loki said, his voice slightly slurred.

"Not so awesome when its used to make you a mindless drone Loki." Clint said. He sounded alright, but his eyes were glazed.

"I said I was sorry!" Loki pouted.

"Doesn't matter." Clint pretended to shoot an arrow at Loki. "Caw caw motherfucker."

"Ladies, you're both pretty. Now shut up and let me show you the world." That was Tony who made hand gestures to accompany his statement. Yep. They were all drunk. Natasha and Pepper were gonna kill them and him by association. Oh holyneptuneandplutoandjupiterwhyamIthinkinginromanI'magreek!

Was he panicking? No he was not. Ok, maybe he was panicking a little. Could you blame him? Tasha and Pepper were _scary_ and he had already pissed off Natasha by accidently taking the last bowl of cereal. He had made her blue pancakes as an apolgy but he knew she was waiting for the right moment to take revenge.

"Come on kid, we don't have all night!"

_Screw it_. He was dead either way so why not? He had Jarvis open the window and got into the car. When they reached Pietro's room he was the one to wake him up.

They ended up in Malibu on the beach putting on a show for the kids about two days later. They even got to go shopping like he was promised.

The women of the tower were pissed for days. Loki still says it was worth it. The others agree.

* * *

Pietro stuck his head inside Percy's room. He had been looking for his friend for close to half an hour before thinking of checking his room. What, he could forget that Percy had a room, its not like the guy spent much time in there anyway.

"Dude Barton's taking us to the range. He feels that we are 'sorely lacking in our training' and says he wants to see you use a gun."

"What, he doesn't think I can?"

Pietro shrugged. "Knowing him? I'm pretty sure he even bet on it. Come on he promised us burgers."

Who was Percy to turn down a good old fashioned cheeseburger?

* * *

Clint was already at the range with Wanda, showing her how to assemble and dissasemble a Desert eagle. She gave Percy a small smile as she slid the magazine into the gun. Ok, Percy wasn't as dumb as people would like to believe. He figured Wanda liked him and he kinda liked her too. He just had no idea where the hell this was going.

They had been dancing around each other for a few weeks now and he was sure the others had caught on. Natasha always payed special attention to the both of them when they were together. That in itself was a cause of worry. They were _this_ close to being locked in a room together and he could feel it.

He guessed Natasha would see it as payback for the time the three of them (with Tony's help) locked her in a room with Bruce. What? It was getting ridiculous and did they _look_ like the patient types?

Anyway, Clint had pushed a Colt Talo into his hands and directed him to the target. This would be fun, especially considering how much he could mess with Clint.

He checked the magazine, he had eight shots. Perfect. He aimed and fired four different times, each bullet landing way outside the target.

"Come on Jackson, is that the best you can do?" Clint asked, a smirk on his face. Percy grinned, not saying anything. His next four shots were right in the centre of the targets. He turned to Wanda and Pietro, ignoring Clint's slack jawed expression. "You know, I think _that_ might be the best I can do. What do you guys think?"

Wanda grinned.

"That I can probably beat that with my telekinesis."

"Oh you are so on."

"Prepare to get owned Jackson."

Wanda was off by a millimeter. Percy silently swore never to piss her off and Pietro backed him up on that idea. Clint was still staring in amazment.

* * *

Ok, Pietro may not be a genius, nor did he have eyes like Clint, but he could definitely see that his little sister and best friend liked each other. What, its not like they were doing anything to hide that particular fact. Percy would have a huge smile on his face whenever Wanda came into the room and his sister would be happier whenever Percy was with them. She seemed to forget that her telepathic bond with him could also be a two way street. It also helped that he knew her better than anyone else did.

Anyway, this put him in a pretty awkward situation. He couldn't think of anyone else he would like better for his little sister, but seriously? Percy its called the bro code. Look it up!

But still, even before Hydra, he wouldn't, _couldn't_ trust anyone with his baby sister. He knew he could trust Percy.

* * *

Chiron looked at the ruins of the Big Three cabins and sighed. Things never could remain calm could they? He had hoped for some more time before another attack. Could the fates never look upon them favorably? And the one person who would be looked to for leadership honestly did not deserve this. Not after everything he had been through. And yet, they needed their hero. Turning around, he made his way to the big house. He had a call to make. The attack had begun.


	15. Chapter 15

**At this point I'm just gonna say screw it and post this sorry excuse for a chapter. I have been struggling with it for weeks and yes I do have some excuse for this riduculously late posting, which is being sick and o levels. For those who go by the brittish system, this is an easy explanation. For the rest, Harry's owl year at Hogwarts. **

**Anyway, this chapter has fought me at every turn and refused to be even slightly reasonable. I had intended for a nice long chapter dealing with the impending shit storm but since that isn't gonna happen you get this crap fest and I deserve the hate you guys will throw at me. I know. It happens. I'm sorry. I am especially sorry about this site cos you guys have been absolutely amazing and totally supportive and I know I don't deserve all the awesomeness I get from here. Maybe my muse will return after I post this. It sometimes does that cos it craves attention. I swear, this is how I _know_ I'm a Leo. Well, that and my ridiculous overconfidence at times. **

They were having dinner when the call that changed Percy's entire view of the world came. At this point, he knew the fates were set to make his life absolutely miserable. This had been such a nice day too, the entire team was here, not on some mission somewhere halfway around the world. He also finally had the balls to just say screw it and kiss Wanda. Clint had actually set up a betting pool about how long it would take - Tony won. They were having pizza and a couple hours later, he could have called it the perfect day. But that was before he received the iris message where the first thing he saw was Chiron's regretful face.

"How many?" He asked in a flat voice.

"Five campers and a satyr. The cabins of the Big Three were burned; the worst damage was done to Zeus' cabin. This was a direct affront to the gods." His old mentor replied.

In the kitchen a water pipe exploded as Percy struggled to stay calm. Winter must have sensed it as he stood and came to his younger brother, resting a calming hand on his shoulder, and returned the water to where it belonged, continuing the conversation with the stunned centaur.

"It's been some time Chiron, still not enough for you to forget us children of Posiedon have never embraced war. Oh and the small fact that we _honestly don't give a damn_ about most of the gods."

"James?" Chiron had gone pale. "There were rumors..."

Winter waved him off. "Yes I'm alive. Its a long story and Uncle Hades likes me. Now, where and when do you want us?"

_~line break~_

Wanda honestly wasn't sure why she was out of bed at 2:30 in the morning. Ok, she figured it was because Percy was currently furiously pounding a punching bag in the gym, but in her defense, it was generally Pietro who would join him, not her. There _was_, after all, a reason he could fight better than her and she was certain it was because he trained with Percy at night.

She could hear the _thwack_ as Percy's fist connected with the leather of the bag, could sense the anger behind every hit and was surprised. She hadn't known that Percy was even _capable_ of that much anger. But it wasn't like she could blame him for it either, she knew anger, embraced it as an old friend and she knew her brother had too. Pietro had just placed her wellbeing over everything else.

Percy didn't stop venting his frustration on the bag as she walked in, but he did slow down, less anger in his tension filled movements. Wanda could almost see his walls going up as she walked closer.

"You know, you don't have to hide in front of me." She spoke softly, but her voice could easily be heard over the softs thumps of Percy's fists hitting the bag.

"Hiding? What would I be hiding? That I am _sick_ and _tired_ of fighting? Always _fighting_ like the toy soldier I was born to be." He said, his voice rough, a stark contrast to Wanda's. His hits got harder and harder as he punched, punctuating every word with a right hook or an uppercut.

"You know what I like best about the sea?" Wanda asked suddenly. Percy raised an eyebrow as if to ask _what?_ "The fact that it can't be restrained. Forget being as free as a bird, I'd like to see someone hold back the tide." She continued, smiling at her boyfriend.

"That can be arranged." Percy muttered.

Wanda rolled her eyes. "Someone who _isn't_ the son of the sea god. What I mean is, no one can control the sea. Its unpredictable, uncontrollable, a force unto itself. Last I checked, that carried over to those born of the sea too." She finished, a smile still playing about her lips. A smile that was echoed on Percy's face.

_~line break~_

The next morning Steve walked into the kitchen with a troubled look on his face. The others were already assembled there eating breakfast, Percy extremely slowly as if he could put off going to deal with the latest crisis by eating his pancakes slowly.

"Shield databases were hacked last night. Fury doesn't even know how much information was taken. Nuclear launchcodes, the inner details of the Council... the Avengers Initiative."

"That's impossible, I upgraded SHIELD's firewalls myself after what happened in DC." Tony spoke, voice full of disbelief.

"Fury suspects that there are still a few rogue agents in SHIELD." Steve cut in, aiming to stop Tony's rant before it began.

"Hey Winter? Please tell me dad said Hyperion teamed up with someone from our side of mythology." Percy said, his apprehension growing.

His brother looked grim as he shook his head. "Unfortunately these bastards like making life interesting in the worst possible way."

_Oh shit. What was it Tony had called the Avengers? Earth's last line of defense?_ Why the hell did the current big bad have to be the titan of freaking _foresight_? Even if he had managed to take down the demigods, the next line of defense would have been the Avengers who would probably be able to hold their own against Hyperion. SHIELD at the very least should _definitely_ have developed weapons to use against monsters by now.

Clint was the next to speak, catching drift of Percy's thought. "Hyperion wants to level the playing field in his favour by taking us out first. Take down SHIELD, take down the Avengers, and fighting him becomes a hell of a lot harder."

"And with the added bonus of Percy's fatal flaw, he'd most likely be able to anger him to the point where he would make a decision that would leave him dead or at the mercy of HYDRA/Hyperion." Natasha finished.

"Good thing we still have a few aces left to play then." Pietro began but was cut off by Bucky.

"No. HELL no. Kid, you and your sister are not leaving this tower unless its to go to one of Stark's underground bunkers."

"So you were fine with us fighting against Ultron but not these guys? We even have more training now!" Wanda protested.

Bucky glowered at the two, "_Ultron_ was because we had no other choice. The potential fallout of _this_ particular shit storm? One hell of a whole lot worse."

Pietro interjected at this point. "First off, the Avengers will be a couple members short and Loki and Thor can't exactly fight on the demigod side of things cos they're like, Norse, right? I mean, sounds to me like you need as much firepower as you can get." Kind of ironic considering he was arguing with a son of Posiedon but he did, unfortunately for Bucky, have a very valid point.

Bucky glared at Pietro before relenting. "Fine but only on the Avengers front. I catch you anywhere _near_ the demigod side of things... well, you of all people should remember who I spent the last 70 years working for." It was really quite amusing to see the extent of which Pietro paled at Winter's threat.

_~line break~ _

Percy looked at Thalia's pine tree standing tall and proud in the distance. He didn't want to cross it, not really. He missed his friends, yes, but crossing it into camp boundaries... it was opening himself up again to the world that had caused him so much pain and he wasn't sure if he could do that after everything.

And now his past was threatening his family. Again. He _couldn't_ let anything happen to his new family, he wouldn't allow this one to get hurt. Not when he could prevent it.

He was contemplating this as he stared up at the tree in the distance that he knew so well. He may well have been stuck in place the whole day. Until his brother gave him a slight shove and told him to hurry up, that is.

Shaking himself out of his stupor, he shoved Bucky right back and continued up the hill.

_~line break~ _

To say Fury was angry was the understatement of the year. The one-eyed director of SHIELD was _furious_. HYDRA was choosing now of all times to make their huge comeback, right in the middle of a war on the greek side of things when a fourth of his agents were called upon to defend their respective camps. This was already annoying considering that the demigods were amongst his best agents. Hey, there was a reason they were recruited and it wasn't because of their dyslexia. Oh and there was the added bonus of not being told that HYDRA had allied themselves with the greek threat. That's always great to know.

One day he was probably gonna destroy "Earth's mightiest heroes" and be laughing as he did it. Maybe not Romanov though. She was a damn good agent. Wait, Stark and Cap's death would be a PR nightmare. Maybe he could just inject a virus into JARVIS? No that wouldn't work. Eh, he'll probably just sic Coulson on them. _That_ he could do.

_~line break~ _

Reyna had figured that her camp would probably be attacked after what happened at Camp Halfblood. She just hadn't figured that it would happen in the middle of the day when everyone was wide awake and energetic. Wasn't Prometheus supposed to be _smart_? Unfortunately for Reyna, Prometheus _was_ quite intelligent and knew exactly what he was doing.

A small pack of hellhounds and a few laistrygonians were currently testing Camp Jupiter's borders. Archers took out the hellhounds, while a legion dealt with the giants. Nothing more than a small skirmish really. Unfortunately, it was not the only one for the day.

Sometimes it was a legion of telkhines, sometimes a few empousai. The occational visit from a hyperborean or a manticore. They never attacked in the same place twice except for one time but the romans were too busy fighting off some monster to notice. Had they noticed, they may have had some prior warning to the attack that would happen that night.


	16. Not a chapter I'm sorry

I am so sorry about this. I hate when authors do this and now I am. I haven't updated in a bit because I simply have no idea how to continue. I began this story as a stress relief for my exams cos I was going crazy studying and that's when I work best cos my head gets filled with ideas that _need_ to be put on paper or I'll aactually go crazy. I have no idea where I'm taking this, where it wants to go and what should happen. No I'm not abandoning it, I just need some ideas and some time to deal with the shit school's putting us through. Yes I'll understand if you review with hate messages but I'm sorry. I just figured I owed you guys an apology at the very least. For those of you who read my other fic, I'll hopefully be updating with what will most likely be the last chapter soon so yea. Sorry once again.


	17. Chapter 17

**I honestly do not deserve the support I've been given on this site. Be as that may, my life is pretty**

**My sincerest apologies for the late chapter, life's been rough and I've still not regained my inspiration. I think I may just kill someone off to keep things interesting. I'm not entirely sure I want to though because those I kill off generally die gruesome, painful deaths. So yeah. Hope this chapter kinda makes up for my absence. Also I'm probably gonna finish this off soon within another few chapters if possible. So yeah. Read and review!**

Clarisse was _not_ in the best of moods. She may have been a daughter of Ares and have 'battle driven' as a default setting, but in no way was she remotely accepting of the pointless deaths that were an unfortunate byproduct of wars that meant nothing. The only kind of war that she could respect and understand was one that had some sort of a purpose. What she was seeing here was little more than pointless carnage.

At this stage she was sure that not even Jackson coming back could cheer her up.

Ok. She was wrong. Having Jackson back changed everything. Yeah, he wasn't the only one who had survived two wars, but he _was_ the best demigod she had ever known. He was pretty much the embodiment of hope to demigods. She would, however, deny admitting that till her last breath. Or so she thought.

_~line break~_

Once they got through this latest mess, Nico was going to _kill_ his Seaweed Brained cousin and he was sure that Thalia would help him. He left Camp and joined a superhero boyband! Like, Percy, its called Iris Messaging. _Maybe you've heard of it?_

And yes, maybe it was _slightly_ hypocritical of him considering his own disappearing acts, but still! Percy did _not_ get to disappear on them like that. Nico hadn't forgotten what had happened in the immediate aftermath of the second Giant War. Especially not the reward ceremony. And if Percy had thought they would be fine with him striking out on his own after that, he had another thing coming.

_**flashback begins**_

The gods were arguing over whether the greeks and romans should be allowed to coexist after everything. Octavian had, after all, left huge problems in his wake. Problems that most unfortunately did not end with his sudden suicide.

Zeus, unsurprisingly, was the most against it. He was also the most against returning Hades and Hestia their thrones, refusing to listen to reason.

"Why can the boy not just be a normal hero and accept immortality?" He had grumbled. "The Council is set and shall remain. I refuse to change it."

It had reached the point where even _Ares_ was insisting upon the return of their thrones and saying at this point, merging the two camps would result in less conflict which they had all had enough of for the next two centuries at the least.

Zeus, like the other gods, was surprised but had still refused. Till Percy got up from a chair on the side. Nico figured he probably had wanted to wait out Zeus' temper tantrum but at the rate it was going, they would probably be there for the next year.

Percy had created a mini earthquake, right there in the throne room, capturing everyone's attention. He had spoken in a quiet, but firm voice, loud enough to be heard by all those present. "It has been a _year_ of fighting and you want _more_? How in Hades' name - sorry Uncle - are you not tired of it? People died today, good people. They have been dying for a _long damn time_, and I am talking about your _children_! So you _will_ do us all a favour and let me combine the camps and return Hades' and Hestia's thrones to them. I, _We_, lost a lot of friends over the past year and you will _damn well_ honour their sacrifice or so help me, I will bring this place down around you and _still_ bring about the changes that I need to." The scariest thing that day had been Percy's dead eyes, only firing up with something akin to emotion when talking about those who had died. His voice was calm, promising great violence, something dark underneath his softly spoken words. He raised his voice only when speaking of the dead, yet his tone still held a note of respect for his fallen friends. Something had been broken in his cousin and he wasn't entirely sure it could be fixed.

_**flashback ends**_

Coming face to face with his cousin after so long, Percy figured his first action would have been to hug him or something along those lines. Instead, he punched him in the face.

Percy had turned to face him when he entered the room, interupting his conversation with Chiron, when Nico punched him. And _ow_ that _hurt_. Winter, jerk that he was, simply stood back and watched, amused.

Nico then hugged him as fiercely as he had punched him. And Percy should know, he's the one who taught Nico how to punch like that. He raised his hands to hug him back equally as hard, he'd forgotten how the sixteen year old in front of him hated those he cared about disappearing on him. He never truly had gotten over being left behind by Bianca and had slightly over protective tendencies which only intensified after the wars.

"Yeah I missed you too Death Breath and I probably should have called. Please don't kill me just yet."

"I may not but I make no promises about Thalia." Nico's grin only widened as Percy paled. That would _not_ be a fun conversation, he was sure.

_~line break~_

"So who's Tall Dark and Brooding next to Chiron?" Nico asked once he let go of Percy and noticed there was someone else in the room.

Bucky chuckled as he stepped forward to introduce himself to Nico again. The first time being about 75 years ago when he helped save him and Bianca from Zeus.

"Call me Winter. I'm the brother of this Kelp-brained punk here." He ignored Percy's indignant protests in favor of shaking Nico's outstretched hand. "I was born before WW2 and was... out of commission for a while. It's a long story."

"It generally is. So obviously Percy trusts you. How do I know I can?"

"Probably because I helped Hades protect you back when Zeus wanted your head on a silver platter along with your sister's. I asked Hades never to tell anyone the whole story so that Zeus couldn't take his anger out on my father or my mortal family. He's petty that way."

Percy and Nico both started at him, agape. Hades, despite being a world class douche most of the time, still cared for his family. It was no wonder this son of Poseidon was in his good books. Winter, on the other hand, just shrugged. He liked helping people, not simply fighting in wars, that was the job of Ares' kids. He may have been a soldier but it wasn't out of choice, but necessity.

Chiron gave a small cough as if to remind the others of his presence and return them to the conversation prior to Nico's abrupt entrance. Soon they were lost in a whirlwind of battle strategies and random intel on what had been happening in the mythological world after Percy left.

_~line break~_

News of the attack on Camp Jupiter hit them hard. Most of the camp had been destroyed and dozens injured or dead. Reyna, however, had managed to rally support from her sister and they barely managed to keep the camp from being overrun. With the addition of missiles being fired at the White House helping prompt the X-men into battle as well, it was official. The war had begun and the darkness beginning to descend. The only question was, after the storm passed, who would still be standing?


	18. Chapter 18

**Wow, this might just be my longest chapter yet. I'm planning on just one more to wrap it up after this and then declaring this thing complete. Btw, I'm sorry for anything that may happen to your feels. Read, review, and most importantly, enjoy! If you want me to add or change something, don't hesitate to put it in a review because I probably will update this quite a bit. **

White hot pain spread from the wound. He gasped, taking a step back, as he pressed a hand to his sternum where blood was already staining his shirt a dark red, before falling to his knees. _Damn_, he never thought it would hurt so much. He may not have shown it before, but being so used to living a life where he could die any day, he didn't fear death. Leaving behind his loved ones, _that's_ what he feared.

"Till the end of the line." He murmured. His borrowed time was finally up and there really wasn't anything he could do about it._ It doesn't matter though_, Pietro thought as he finally closed his eyes after meeting panicked sea green ones. He knew his brother in all but blood would make sure they were fine. After all, that is what Percy specialised in. _It's on you now brother,_ he thought as he slipped away.

_~line break~_

We should probably begin with the fact that Percy was _not_ having a good day. Prometheus had sent monsters to attack the camp and had used Dedalus' maze to do so. Apparently, there were two or three entrances in and near camp. It was not the best way to start the morning but it wasn't exactly like they had a choice in the matter. Percy sighed as he picked up his sword. It was going to be a long day.

_~line break~_

Hydra had bombed the White House. The X-men managed to get the president out in time by some miracle, right before Xavier contacted Fury and told him there was a missile headed straight for the Empire State Building.

Two separate lighting bolts obliterated the missile before it came within 20 miles of New York. Only one of them was courtesy of Mjolnir. It was probably the first and last time both thunder gods worked together.

They couldn't stop the nuke that was directed to a certain DOA recording studios, which technically didn't exist, in LA.

And the WSC just looked on in horror, along with the rest of the world, as the death toll increased.

_~line break~_

SHIELD reached out to Magneto and his brotherhood for help, only to be refused. They persisted, and as a result, Charles Xavier was in the middle of negotiations with him. He would be essential to stopping, or at least containing the bombs HYDRA seemed so fond of.

HYDRA operatives also infiltrated SHIELD buildings all over the world, some managing to hold their own, others were not as lucky. And the death toll simply. Kept. On. Rising.

_~line break~_

It had been three days and the Avengers were exhausted. Three days without sleep and very little results. Not to mention the fact that they were down two members. Ever since Bucky and Percy left for Camp Half-blood it had been as if they were missing something. They weren't sure why Clint hadn't gone with them, but they were glad for it. They needed their archer. They hadn't realised that that may have been why he hadn't gone. After all, family didn't end with blood and Clint's family needed him more than camp did.

And the days kept passing as they went from New York to London to Rio, Venice to Athens to Turkey, Africa to China and then Paris. Whenever and wherever a situation arose, they would be there, trying desperately to contain the damage. And slowly, _so slowly_, the tide began to turn. The attacks slowed down. Not by much, but it was enough to allow them some hope.

Lady Fortuna, however, seem disinclined to let them hold on to that hope for too long. Natasha fractured her wrist in Athens and Sam (Falcon) broke a wing on a detour to Cape Town. Luckily, Bruce and Tony could work with little equipment, despite Bruce's insistence that he wasn't a medical doctor. Natasha's wrist was on the mend and Sam's wing fixed as well as it could be, all things considering.

Finally, after two weeks and a death count so high they had stopped counting, Jarvis had a break through. He managed to hack into HYDRA's system and find out where their headquarters were located. Alaska. The land beyond the gods. It was time to pick up a certain two missing members.

_~line break~_

Percy was slashing his way through yet another horde of monsters when he felt a tingling up his spine. The last he had felt this way was five years ago during the second titan war. Dread filled him as he tried to ascertain the danger. There wasn't any to him or in his immediate surroundings. Then he heard the scream and time slowed down.

_~line break~_

As the literal 'daughter of war,' Clarisse embraced battle like she was born for it, which, technically speaking, she was. She fought like a demon, taking down monsters as they came, attacking them head on. A horde of telkhines? Yeah, they became dust five minutes ago. A dozen hell hounds? Oh you mean this golden stuff flying around my spear? Laistrygonians? No problem. An aura of red fire surrounded her, Ares clearly felt her deserving of receiving his blessing once more. Pity the fates didn't seem to be as impressed.

In the midst of battle an empousa stabbed her in the back with the poisoned blade.

_~line break~_

One of her brothers killed the empousa before Percy reached them. Over the years Clarisse had become a friend and he had buried too many friends to lose another one. He _refused_ to lose another one.

Will Solace took one look at her and they could tell from his expression that he thought Thanatos would lay claim to her life.

"She won't make it to sundown. There's too much poison in her system for that and it looks like a lung was punctured by the knife. There's no way I can bring her back from that. The lung maybe, but the addition of the poison?" Will trailed off, his voice sombre.

Something tugged at the back of Percy's mind, something his brother had told him that was important... he stood up straight. "There may be a way to save her. Where's Winter?"

It was a fool's hope, but it was all he had.

"_There's something I think we might be able to do. Something dangerous, but if it pays off... well, maybe it can help us save a life."_

Bucky's words from months ago echoed in his ears. It was a risk, a gamble, but it was all he had, and Percy had learnt a long time ago to make the best out of what life threw at him. Sending a quick prayer to Dionysus for luck and Ares since Clarisse was his kid, he found Bucky and explained the situation to him.

_"If we can heal ourselves with water, why can't we heal others?"_

His brother's words pounded in his ears as he wished desperately for them to be true as they stood around Clarisse in the med bay.

"Ready?" Bucky asked him. Percy gave a slight nod as he opened his senses to the water molecules around him, specifically the ones surrounding Clarisse. It was simple in theory, at least, in what he could understand, but in real life? Not that simple.

The idea was that if they could use water to heal themselves, since everyone's body is made of water and they can generally control a bunch of different liquids, it should be possible to heal others.

Key word being '_possible_.'

Bucky worked on the poison, on finding and containing it to a single area: the actual wound itself. Percy extracted the blood that had filled her lung and both used water to heal the lung and wash out the poison. Slowly but surely her lung began to heal. The poison was another matter entirely. There was so much of it that had already spread throughout her body, already her systems were beginning to shut down. Some nectar kept it at bay as they worked to track it down. Apollo's children helped as and when they could, but there was only so much nectar that they could give her and wounded demigods kept pouring in.

It took two hours before all the poison was purged from her body and another hour repairing the damage it had done. At the end of it, Clarisse looked a little less ashen and a little more like she was alive. She would live and for that Percy thanked all the gods.

_~line break~_

Clint iris messaged them a few days later with the news of HYDRA's headquarters. Clarisse was back on her feet and already fighting, insisting that they needed all the soldiers they had, including herself. It was pointless to disagree so no one did.

Alaska, being what it was, meant Thor and Loki couldn't enter it. Since the ancient laws that bound them differed from the ones that bound Greek and Roman gods, they actually could fight alongside demigods, even those from different pantheons. Bruce and Natasha also stated behind to help. Percy and Bucky, being sons of the sea god, would be pretty much invaluable in Alaska, considering it would be covered in ice.

_~line break~_

They walked in through the front door, guns blazing, leaving nothing but rubble and dead bodies in their wake. To do anything else would mean their own death, HYDRA took no prisoners and every member was fully dedicated to their cause. It was kill or be killed.

Tony and Sam provided air support, working with Clint to take out any snipers and agents on the higher levels. Wanda erected shields at random, sometimes to help protect them, other times so that bullets would ricochet and hit the ones who fired them. Bucky had allowed the Soldier full reign and was an almost unstoppable force, working together with both Steve and Percy making use of every weapon on his person, focusing on taking out the leaders. It probably helped that he was as much of an arsenal as Iron Man was and both were concentrated on the same task. Pietro sped around, disarming agents and knocking them out. They were all a team, each one had the other's back, ensuring that no one was alone. But it wasn't enough.

It was an endless flow of agents and machines and hidden weapons. Any time that their numbers seemed to thin, more would appear or some other hidden defense would be triggered.

It was during the fifth reinforcement flow that it happened. Percy was busy fighting an agent in hand to hand combat, he had dropped his sword a few minutes ago and was all out of ammunition. That was when he triggered one of the defense mechanisms without realising it.

He heard it powering up and turned slightly before sensing rather than hearing a _whoosh_ of air as he was knocked to the side by a silver blur. And he looked on in horror as Pietro was hit by the blast.

_..._

Percy distantly heard Wanda's scream as she felt her mental connection to her brother fading. Rage bubbled inside him and he felt the earth shaking. The agents surrounding him screamed as their blood evaporated, Percy subconsciously taking out immediate threats in the most painful way possible, while rushing to kneel by Pietro.

**No**. The fates be **_damned_**, no one who was part of his chosen family would be dying today. _No one_.

He was practically pulsing with raw power as he focused everything he had on Pietro, using his powers to first stop the seemingly endless flow of blood and then _push_ the bullets out of his friend's body.

As the battle raged around them, he focused solely on healing the damage, ignoring everything else. He hadn't even registered the fact that he had erected a shield of near impenetrable ice around the two of them. It felt like hours passed when at most it couldn't have been more than twenty minutes.

Pietro _gasped_ as the wounds healed and the bullets were extracted from his body, pain filled blue eyes flying open as his back arched off the ground. Considering the fact that Percy had become so attuned to death in the past that he could _feel_ Thanatos' presence he figured he could apologise for the pain later, _after_ he saved his friend's life.

_~line break~_

Wanda had thrown herself into battle with newly found vigour, working her way to her brother and Percy as she felt the fragile connection with her brother falter and flicker. Oh, Hell no. She unleashed a mental wave of power, directed at HYDRA agents, leaving most writhing on the floor in agony as she made her way over to where Percy had already erected a wall of ice. Damn water powers. She knew from experience that it would be near impossible to break through it. Nevertheless, she had to try.

It took five minutes before she realised that Tony and Steve had begun to help her, Tony blasting it with his repulsors and Steve with his shield. They still barely scratched it. Eventually, she saw why. Every time they hit it, the wall would repair itself. Until Bucky began to slowly melt it, that is. Even then, it was as if it was fighting him.

Red sparks danced around her fingertips, enough was enough. She blasted the wall with everything she had, tearing it apart even as it rebuilt itself. Tears sprang into her eyes as she saw her brother's motionless body on the ground, her gasp echoing his own as she felt their flickering connection falter before springing back into place just as it was before. She didn't need too look at her boyfriend to confirm it but she did, and gave a watery smile at his grim nod. Her brother wasn't going to be going anywhere but a hospital bed in the Avengers' infirmary any time soon.

_~line break~_

Tony infiltrated HYDRA's system once more, releasing a virus that would infect their mainframe and destroy everything. Bucky simply destroyed the entire building with an earthquake that would have registered about a 9.2 on the Richter scale, a smile on his lips as cracks covered the building before it crumbled to dust. They left behind nothing but ash and rubble and the ruins of an organisation powerful enough to infiltrate SHIELD in an attempt to destroy it from the inside out.

Percy collapsed the second the quinjet took off, after making sure that Pietro was alright. He had kept going on sheer will power and adrenaline, but at this point he was out of both. There were startled cries of alarm as Clint stopped him from falling and cracking his head open. After all, even the hero of Olympus had his limits - and had crossed them a long time ago. Wanda would have called him an idiot for it, but after everything that had happened... well, she figured she could slap him upside the head at a later date.

_~line break~_

Alright, she had to admit, Natasha was impressed by the way they dealt with things at Camp Half-Blood. They were efficient and worked as a team, despite any differences. Nico di Angelo was a capable leader, willing to make tough decisions and listen to others' opinions.

Like she told Clint when Loki attacked, this was magic and monsters, nothing they had ever trained for, but she had trained to fight. She could still do that, even with a broken wrist. And so she did. She fought in battles and trained demigods, teaching them little tricks that may save their life in battle at some point.

Banner and Thor worked together amazingly on the battlefield, the Hulk very happy with all the smashing possibilities. Seeing children participating though, twelve to eighteen year old _children_ fighting in an actual war sent something bittersweet running through her. This was why they fought, so that children wouldn't have to. So that sixteen year olds wouldn't be going toe to toe with freaking titans!

Wait. _What?_ Oh God, she did not just see that. Nico and Clarisse and a few others were actually fighting a freaking titan! She did _not_ sign up for this shit. Cursing in Russian, she quickly reloaded her guns and made sure she had a few celestial bronze throwing knives. If Percy's cousin died, she was going to _kill_ him.

_~line break~_

Nico smirked as he, Thalia and Clarisse faced Prometheus. He may have been the titan of foresight, but they had learnt unpredictability from Percy Jackson. Nico nodded to Thalia who brought down a lightning bolt as he stepped forward into a shadow - and appeared behind the titan, slashing once with his sword before shadow traveling back. Strong winds assaulted Prometheus, courtesy of Thalia, forcing him back and making him unsteady on his feet, with Clarisse attacking him head on, both girls using their spears to their fullest capability. Nico smiled as he once more stepped into the shadows, manipulating them so he could swing once and hit Prometheus at a random place without warning.

He raised a few undead legionaires to help them and took a second to enjoy the sight of the titan being overwhelmed by their attack before shadow traveling close enough to stab him once straight through his heart with his stygian iron sword.

For future reference, it _is_ possible to kill a titan without them having a mortal point.

"Burn in Hell with the rest of your kin," Nico said as Prometheus faded. It would be a long time before they had any trouble on that front and he would be grateful for every day that came in between then and now. He wasn't the only one.


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey guys. So this is my last chapter. It's been a pretty long journey, I've given you a few heart attacks on the way, and you guys have been amazing about it. This one goes out to all you people who've stuck around with this and have supported me throughout. Yes, this includes those guests who've been awesome enough to review too. I love all of you and your continued support is the reason I've been able to make it this far. **

**Hopefully I've covered all the important angles. As far as last chapters go, I've enjoyed this one. I hope you guys do too. Read, review and enjoy! **

Pietro awoke to light blue walls which looked suspiciously like the Avengers infirmary. Yeah, he was pretty sure he was in the wrong place. That, or this was some kind of hallucination. Right? Somehow, he wasn't too sure.

He groaned, attempting to get up when he saw a flash of red and suddenly his sister was hugging him and crying.

"Don't you _ever_ dare do that to me again." She said between sobs.

He brought his arms up around her, hugging her just as fiercely as she was him. "Dying isn't really on my list of priorities, to be honest-" was all he managed to get out before pain erupted in his abdomen and he gasped from the sheer intensity of it.

"Shit. Wanda you might wanna let him go for a bit, he still has a lot to heal." Clint's voice came from somewhere on his left. The black spots in his vision made it kinda hard to tell.

He shook his head to clear it a little and figured it was ok if he could make out the red of his sister's hair. Kind of. Unfortunately a hand on his shoulder stopped him from simply swinging his legs off the bed and (attempting) to leave.

"Yeah, not gonna happen anytime soon kid," and _there_ was the over protective fatherish figure that Bucky was. Dammit, he hated being stuck in bed.

"Personally, I think being stuck in bed is better than being dead, but that's probably just my survival instincts talking." Percy drawled from the doorway he was leaning against. Crap, did he say that out loud? Either that, or his friend was a mind reader. Seeing the expression on his face, Percy laughed. "Not a mind reader, I'll leave that to your sister, you said that out loud."

Pietro accepted that with a nod of his head. However, that still left the question of _how_ he was in this bed instead of in the underworld somewhere. When he asked as much, he was surprised to see Percy duck his head down as if embarrassed. Bucky even gave a dry chuckle without much humor in it.

"Remember how as Posiedon's kids our fatal flaw is personal loyalty? Well, they learnt what happens when you hurt one of our friends." Bucky said. It still didn't answer his question, but he was beginning to think maybe he didn't want it to be answered.

"You know how we agreed the Hulk has anger management issues? Well, they don't have anything on Percy's when he gets pissed." Clint continued. That was all well and good and he had already figured as much out within a week of knowing the demigod. Pietro still required a proper explanation and he really wasn't getting one.

"I eliminated the agents and healed you using the water in the air and the water already in your body." Percy answered quietly. Yeah, he _definitely_ didn't want to know how they had been 'eliminated' did he? Percy raised his head and, ok, that _hadn't_ been embarrassment earlier. Was that... _fear_?

"What happened?" The two words were spoken with deliberate slowness, he refused to accept any more avoidance or cryptic answers.

"I eliminated those identified as enemies... by evaporating their blood. And I did it subconsciously, without a thought."

Pietro gaped at him. Whatever he was expecting, it certainly wasn't that. _Wow_. He knew his friend was powerful, just not _that_ powerful. And yeah, that was definitely fear in his eyes. What, did he think he would treat him any differently? That was ridiculous.

"Yeah, I didn't see that coming. Remind me not to get in your bad side." When in doubt, go for bad jokes. He figured Stark's method was good for _something_ after Percy visibly relaxed. Speaking of, "where is Tony? And Bruce?"

"Tony is handling the press and Director Fury with Cap and Bruce is there to stop him from destroying something, which, with Tony, is _always_ a legitimate concern." Percy replied, even cracking a smile, which Pietro counted as a win. Pity though, it was always fun to watch Tony blow something up, especially if it was a SHIELD building. Jarvis would make sure to record it and played it quite happily for them. It was _always_ awesome.

_~line break~_

Camp Half-blood was in the process of being rebuilt by the time Percy returned. The Hades cabin was as cool as ever, along with Posiedon's. Ares' looked exactly as he remembered it, if a little less angry and bloody. Oh, it still looked as if they had punched the paint in, but it was less pointless anger and more "I will pulverise you for being a douchebag not just because you're annoying me." Hermes' cabin was as welcoming as ever, they had somehow managed to preserve its homely, well worn, comforting state. Yep, still a refugee for travelers and wayfarers.

They had lost about fifteen campers in total, fifteen too many in everyone's opinion. The Hephaestus' cabin made sure that the flames of the funeral pyre reached the skies. It was as much of a tribute as they could give to their fallen friends.

The children of the big three stood by the smouldering remains of the pyre long after everyone else had left. The original, and the last of the big three's children. The ones forced to live through three wars. Even as they would go their separate ways, they would still be bound by their shared blood and experiences. By the fact that beyond living through, barely surviving at times, three wars, they were as close as siblings, would always be in fact. Times would pass, one would return to a certain tower in New York, another would take his place by his father's side as lieutenant and the third would retake her place amongst the hunters. Yet, they would keep in touch over the years. Meet up and retell old stories, reminisce about times past, and train a new generation of demigods when the time came. Their story would be one told at campfires for years to come, a story that would pay tribute to the lost, the fallen and the betrayed. A story of heroes and traitors, gods and titans. A story for the ages, of heroes who wanted nothing more than to _live_, but saved the world from its own mistakes because someone had to.

_~line break~_

Pietro was up and running within a week, his advanced healing kicking in. SHIELD was 90% sure that HYDRA was taken down. After all, even they couldn't track down all of HYDRA's offshoots. It had its tentacles in far too many things for that. Considering the fact that this was completely expected, none at the Avenger's tower experienced anything remotely resembling surprise. Tony had Jarvis start up a new hack to attempt to track them down, but it would take a while.

In the meantime, they just relaxed in front of the tv while Jarvis played Big Bang Theory reruns. There would be time for dealing with HYDRA and the Council later. Both of the councils. Because evil and the watchdogs could come knocking at their doors another day. Right now? Right now they were going to simply _be_. Simply take a breath, and let it go while enjoying a good tv show and eating popcorn knowing they were home where they belonged.

After all, what else is family for?


	20. AN

**Hey guys! This is just to let you know that I'm publishing a new fic as a continuation of sorts of this one. It will be a bunch of one-shots and I am very much open to requests :)**


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